The Commander's Wulf
by wiltt003
Summary: The wolf had watched her for so long from the shadows, daring to step into her world. When they finally came together, the Commander and her wolf were a force like no other. The wolf knew that she would do anything for the Commander, even give her own life, she would even kill the blonde leader of the delinquents from the sky if it came to it. God how she prayed it would come to it
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, so I've been writing this for a little while now and I'm honestly loving ever second of it. I'm trying to stretch it out time-wise so you really get a feel for my characters, though I haven't added many yet. My main character may not exactly be human, but I hope you guys like her, I've worked pretty hard to try to keep her relatable while still wanting her to be a mysterious bad-ass (you'll see that more as the story goes on) so please tell me how I've done.**

* * *

 **Chapter One**

The wolf, larger even than most of the bears found within so many miles of the village, watched with concerned eyes as two children fought with large sticks. The wolf's fur was white, though not like snow. Her coat looked like the settling ash of a bonfire, speckled with greys and blacks to make it blend all over.

The worry in her eyes was for the younger of the two girls who couldn't have been more than eight or nine summers. She had long hair, a deep brown, pulled back into a hundred little braids, while the older and larger of the two had a dirty blonde head of hair and an evil sneer as she kicked her young counterpart in the chest and sent her immediately into the ground.

Worried, the wolf stood and inadvertently yelped, her eyes wide. Thankfully, neither of the girls noticed and she caught herself quickly, lowering her body back to the floor and continuing to watch from the shrubbery. She was fascinated, that much was for sure. You see, she had been watching this same pair fight every morning and every evening, though she opted not to on the occasion that a hunting party was out. It would do no good for them to chase her for her hide.

The smaller girl swung her legs around and sprung back to her feet, snarling at the larger girl in a way that made the wolf smirk. Such a small girl was already mastering the art of snarling at an opponent, though nowhere near as good as the wolf's snarl of course. And then they were fighting again, swinging those sticks around and clubbing one another hard until the younger one finally learned to dodge.

For days, weeks, months and years, the wolf continued to watch. She remained hidden in the shrubbery until the day came that the young girl of thirteen years was taken away.

The trip to Polis took two days of hard riding, but the wolf kept pace in the shadows all the way to the city's gates.

For the few weeks following Lexa's arrival in Polis, the wolf sat and waited for an hour each morning, hoping to see those bright green eyes for just a second. Alas, there was no sign of her, not even once, and so the wolf withdrew. Polis was no place for her kind and she knew that.

Finally, when the day came that Lexa and the other Nightbloods left Polis' walls to train outside, the wolf had long since stopped coming. The future commander, though she had never seen the wolf, noticed that there absolutely was a difference in the air. Perhaps it was just Polis, but she suspected not.

The wolf's days consisted mostly of hunting. Winter seemed forever on its way and she had to stay fed. She had to be smart in her kill though, never taking too many animals from the same place and always leaving a breeding pair.

She tried for quite some time to distract herself from thoughts of a young girl with an improved snarl and enormously green eyes. She tried distracting herself by picking fights with angry bears, with panthers and other dangerous animals, but being almost the size of a bear herself meant that as a good fighter there was little challenge in it anymore and she wasn't fond of the meat on either animal. She tried sleeping with another member of her pack, but the pleasure wasn't enough to warrant drinking the foul tea that guaranteed no pregnancies, so that stopped too. She even tried watching other member's of Lexa's home village, but none of them meant the same to her as she did.

In the end, she knew that she either had to let the young nightblood go, or she had to go back to Polis. Of course, there was another form that she could take, but she couldn't risk being recognised. If anyone should see her true face, well, she feared that would be the end of her. The issue though was that she needed a way to get closer to Lexa, she couldn't handle sitting around for months upon months again hoping for just one peek. No, she had to be smarter this time.

And so she was.

Upon returning to the outskirts of Polis, the wolf learned that the fleimkepa had started training the nightbloods out in the forests. They needed to learn how to not only fight in all weathers and on all terrains but also how to survive alone for any given amount of time.

The wolf was excited by this. When she didn't return to her pack, she spent months alone in the woods, doing nothing but surviving. Logically, she knew she couldn't get close enough to help Lexa, but perhaps she could do other things? Yes, surely she could injure a few prey animals, block off a few of the more dangerous areas with fallen trees or large rocks. Yes, that much she could do.

She couldn't help but wag her tail at that.

When the day finally came that Titus lead the nightbloods from the gates of Polis, all of them on horseback, and took them down to a stream a few miles South, the wolf made sure to follow. She had hunted and eaten well that morning, she'd bathed so not as to leave any distinctive or heavy scents strong enough for human noses.

The only issue with having so many people around was that they would, of course, all go their different ways for their two week long survival challenge, meaning that sticking close to Lexa would be tough with the other nightbloods nearby and forever hunting for food.

For the first couple of days, the wolf simply watched. She lay in nearby shrubbery and watched Lexa as she moved gracefully through her surroundings. The girl seemed calm and collected, relaxed even, but she could hear the loud thumping of her heart, speedy and unrelenting at most noises.

The wolf couldn't help but chuckle. All of this training was only good for as long as Lexa stayed in the comforts of Polis, stepping outside like this was where it all really came into play. There was a difference between sparring with Anya and fighting a panther for your life. Luckily, Lexa was competent. She knew where to find good drinking water, where to find edible plants, where to sleep. The wolf didn't once worry about the decisions the young woman before her was showing.

The first time that the wolf felt any fear around Lexa was during the middle of the night. It was late, already pitch black. The night was a silent one, the nocturnal animals were all out in their masses. The wolf knew that this was a good time to hunt, so she took the time to stray away from Lexa's sleeping spot in a small cave, opting for chasing rabbits and sleeping elk in nearby fields. She'd just sunk her teeth into the throat of a frightened young buck, letting it twitch out its final moments in her maw, then she heard the scream.

It wasn't a scream of any human, definitely not Lexa, but that was what worried her. It was a panther.

With eyes wide, panicked and terrified with a chill shaking her very bones, she released her prey immediately and began to sprint.

Her joints were tired from days of following Lexa and stalking low in the tall grass that barely covered her frame, but she ran all the same.

Just as Lexa's grunts began to sound as she jabbed with her sword in the enclosed cave, the wolf barrelled through the last of the trees and didn't once stop. She shot into the cave so quickly that Lexa didn't even have time to be afraid before the wolf's enormous form shot past her and caught the panther's rib cage in her huge jaw, crushing it against the cave's wall beside the dying mare that the panther had attacked while it slept.

The wolf didn't think, she just killed. She tore and shredded, she crushed and she snapped. She didn't stop until the panther lay in pieces as her feet and her ashy coat was red with blood, though very little of it was hers from the poor cat having tried to fight back.

Still worried about Lexa, the wolf turned with large eyes, hoping that her concern was displayed on her features. Much to her surprise, Lexa was stood there, less than three feet away, crouched low with a sword in one hand and her other clasped over a gash on her leg. She was bleeding, the panther had clearly gotten her.

Letting out a low whine, the wolf stepped back a little and lowered her body slowly to the ground. She could still bolt right out of the entrance of the cave if Lexa was to attack her, but she could just as easily stay and make sure the young woman didn't pass out.

The wolf, for the rest of the night, relaxed in Lexa's cave and watched over her when she finally passed out from exhaustion. The wolf knew that she shouldn't stay into the morning, knowing that Lexa may not even remember her if she left, but she couldn't help herself as she curled up and fell asleep. Luckily, she woke before Lexa while the dark was still clinging to the morning, slinking away to see that last night's kill of a young deer had long since been dragged off by hungry little critters and the rest of the herd had scattered. She spent a little while catching her breakfast before returning to watching Lexa from afar.

Over the course of Lexa's trial, the girl went actively looking for the wolf, though never with a malicious hand. Eventually, in the last couple of days, the wolf allowed herself to be seen and watched as the nightblood dropped all of her weapons, her heart beating like a war drum as she gently stepped across the few feet between them and oh so slowly reached out and laid her hand on the wolf's maw. Green eyes met green and something in both the wolf and the girl felt complete.

 _"Wulf._ " Was the single word that left Lexa's mouth. It came out like a prayer, as if she couldn't believe the size of the beast before her, or perhaps that she couldn't believe that such an animal was allowing her to touch it. Whatever it was, the wolf closed her eyes and sighed deeply, feeling at peace if only for a minute.

Over the passing months and eventually years, the wolf and Lexa grew together until finally the Commander died in their own throne-room and the wolf took a risk. She took her human form for the first time in years and ventured into Polis under the ruse of buying hides for her people before winter. While in Polis, she hid her face as best she could with dark hoods and attended the conclave. Her heart was in her mouth the entire time, especially when it fell to the final two and Lexa drew last blood, delivering the killing blow.

The wolf didn't necessarily enjoy watching Lexa kill, but to see that she could was a relief. Killing a human was not at all the same to hunting a rabbit.

It was weeks before Lexa ventured from Polis again, but when she finally did, the wolf was ready and followed her out, assuming her canine form behind some rocks before yipping at Lexa and accepting the greeting of both hands scratching at her maw. " _You look strong. Did you even notice that I was gone?_ " Lexa asked her, smiling tirely as she continued to scratch the wolf.

Growling playfully, the wolf opened her enormous mouth and teethed gently at Lexa's arm.

Laughing the young commander pretended to shake the monster away, only to relax a second later and sigh, looking into the green eyes that mirrored her own. " _I am the Commander now. I do not suppose you know what this means, but I won't be around as much._ "

Lexa explained to the wolf about her new duties as if she were a person who understood. Of course, Lexa couldn't possibly know that the wolf really did understand the words being said, but the wolf listened all the same and curled around the girl of sixteen summers when she sat on the floor.

Neither of them knew it in that moment, but in a few months time Lexa would ride off to fight in her first war with the wolf running beside her only to bring her back to Polis when the war was won, allowing her to lie beside the throne, sleep at the foot of her bed and accompany her to every second of her day. The Commander even had a white wolf's head singed into her armour.

The story of the Commander and her wolf may have only just begun, but their path was not to be an easy one. There would be blood, there would be love and there would be loss. All the wolf knew was that she would stand at the Commander's side and kill anyone who threatened her.

* * *

 **Well?  
**  
 **All I'll say here is that I'm really enjoying writing this (I have four or five chapters written right now) so I will carry on writing it, but it's up to you guys whether or not I actually post what I'm writing. I'd love to think that anyone out there could be enjoying what I do, but I can't know if you don't say, so please please please tell me what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, so, Chapter Two. I'm glad to see that I've at the very least intrigued a few people with the first chapter. I tried to hold myself from posting this one until a week had passed but honestly I have no self control so here we are three days later.**

 **Fingers crossed this one is okay, thank you for giving it a go!**

* * *

Lexa sat atop her horse, her hips swaying with each step that it took. Having won her first war only days prior, she was eager to get back to the comforts of Polis, especially her bedroom. As was, of course, her wolf. Lexa had never assigned the wolf a name and she had never offered one, so she was simply _Wulf_.

Wulf trotted happily beside Lexa's horse, her joints still full of adrenaline from the days of brutal fighting. She had protected Lexa as best she could, but the young woman had still aquired a few small scrapes that she hoped wouldn't amount to scars when they healed.

Lexa and the wolf had absolutely settled into a comfortable pattern that involved Lexa waking ever morning to Wulf sat at the foot of her bed, already awake and ready to start the day. Together, they would walk through the market and buy some eggs before going on a little morning hunt. As proficient a hunter as Lexa was, Wulf did all of the work and usually came back with some large animal, be it a puma, a deer or even a worthog, she was always successful. From then, they would stay in the woods for as long as Lexa's tight schedule would allow, cooking the meat and eggs for their breakfast and taking the raw bones back for Wulf.

Most days, she would eat the bones beside Lexa's throne. Titus had cautioned Lexa of the smell of old bones, but a single day in Wulf's company and Titus had seen that the beast was through with a carcass by midday and left absolutely no evidence of it, even licking blood from the floor. She wasn't an overly picky animal and meat was meat. Long gone were the days where she would avoid certain animals in favour of others, now she hunted anything at all purely because Lexa was yet to say what she preferred.

Sitting beside the throne while Lexa went about her day of work, Wulf worked beautifully as an intimidation tactic, scaring the less obedient clans as Lexa fought for peace and unity. Wulf liked this plan very much, knowing that the times before Lexa had been much more chaotic.

When they days fell to close, Wulf and Lexa retired to Lexa's room where the latter slept atop her bed, covered in furs, while Wulf slept either at the foot of the bed on her own bed of furs or outside on the balcony when the furs made her too warm. Whatever the weather though, she never once left the Commander.

And so, with the war won, Lexa and Wulf were heroes to the masses when they returned to Polis with most of Lexa's army still alive and well, barely having lost five percent of her men during her careful, coordinated attack. Wulf was proud, having watched from the days when Lexa couldn't pick up a sword, let alone fight in a war as their lead and win.

Wulf knew why Lexa was so eager to get home. She also knew that she would be spending her first night away from Lexa as the Commander was to have company tonight. It was a first for them both, though Lexa seemed much more at ease with the idea than her canine. Wulf had taken an initial dislike to the young woman who stole her Commander's heart, with her frizzy hair and sweet smile, but Lexa was entirely taken, so Wulf was on her best behaviour.

Costia was easy to spot later that evening when the celebrations died down and Wulf was lying behind Lexa, acting as a backrest.

Lexa and Costia had been careful so far, but Wulf knew that they weren't quite careful enough. Too many longing glances. Too many accidental brushes of their hands. They needed to slow down and back off. Titus had made it very clear that Commanders didn't have any need for weakness, especially not love. Wulf's heart ached when she saw Lexa falling so very quickly for the girl whom she could never truly be with. She wanted her to be happy, but as the leader of her people, could she be? Wulf thought not.

Later that night, when Wulf was left outside Lexa's room with a sheepish apology and a whole dead sheep as bribary, she couldn't help but think about the life that she was leaving behind for Lexa. Sure enough, the Commander was taking a chance on love, but as her protector, she never could. She never planned to take her human form again and it wasn't as if she was going to have sex with animals. Going through her heat cycles was a nightmare, but the real nightmare was thinking that the only love she would feel for the rest of her days was the love between her and Lexa which was akin to a mistress and her dog. She wanted more, but she knew that she couldn't have both it and Lexa. And she always chose Lexa.

Wulf chewed, annoyed, on her sheep carcass that night, snarling at anyone who came too close to Lexa's room to hide the gasps, grunt and giggles coming from inside. Much to her annoyance, neither of them was overly quiet and she made the decision to howl deep and loud when things got too loud and the night came to a climax.

The next morning Costia snuck out with an embarrassed giggle as she stepped around Wulf only to have Lexa pop her head out and yank her back playfully for one final kiss. The couple was giddy to say the least.

Wulf was unimpressed at having to sleep outside of Lexa's room, but she was enormously pleased to see her finally taking somethng for herself.

Over the next few months, Wulf watched as Lexa and Costia fell hard and fast for one another. Lexa's every spare moment was spent with the beautiful woman, leaving Wulf to hunt for her own food most of the time. In fact, Wulf even spent a few more nights outside Lexa's room and even spent an entire week alone in the woods. Lexa had been so thrilled to see her upon her return though that she didn't do that again.

It had been easy to dislike Costia initially, but upon seeing how much Titus disliked her, Wulf grew a little respectful of the woman. That being said, her dislike for Titus couldn't be the deciding factor of everything, so she chose to leave Lexa's side randomly throughout the day and follow Costia, knowing that no one in Polis would dare harm the Commander's wolf. Of course, her hide would fetch a high price with Lexa's few enemies, but no one would be so bold or stupid as to attack the beast in a crowded city that was full of loyal servants to both Lexa and the animal who stood at her side.

Costia seemed, for all intents and purposes, to really be a good woman, so Wulf began to like her more. She especially liked her when she told Lexa that she didn't mind if Wulf slept in the same room as them. The wolf was smugly sleeping in her own bed of furs that night, pretending that she couldn't hear the light gasps and thumping hearts of the young couple as they kissed tenderly before sleep.

When Winter finally drew in and Polis was swamped in snow, Wulf had a larger role to play than simply being Lexa's personal guard. Animals were becoming harder to find with each passing day, so Wulf took it upon herself to help out. That was the second time that she left Lexa's side for a whole week. At the end of the week, Wulf had managed to successfully heard a few breeding pairs in the direction of Polis and had even carried a few stunned baby deer to the gates when they had been too afraid to move. Polis' beast-master kept the young ones as their own breeding pairs, letting the other roam nearby.

During her time in Polis, everyone had been impressed by Wulf's nature to say the least. Sure, she acted like an animal. She ate like an animal, she cleaned herself like an animal, she played like an animal, but she also showed cunning that no one though capable of a wolf. She brought back breeding pairs of animals. She knew when someone was being rude to Lexa even when their tone didn't suggest it. She knew not to act too fond of Costia in public.

This time though, her return was not a happy one. This was Lexa's seventeenth winter, one that they were all sure to remember.

During a well timed attack, twelve men had waited until Lexa's tower wasn't under the protection of the wolf and had snuck in after calling Lexa to an emergency meeting. The meeting in her throne room simply consisted of a dead ambassador with his throat cut on her throne, jagged icicles the size of Lexa's forearm protruding from his eye-sockets just in case anyone should question who was to blame.

Ice Nation.

Sadly, as well as a deam ambassador, when Lexa rushed back to her room for her armour, Costia was gone from her bed and dots of blood littered her floor.

In her rage, Polis was put into lock-down. No one was to enter or leave, only Wulf was to be let back inside.

When Wulf climbed the endless set of steps to Lexa's room, already feeling the vile hostility in the air, she stepped inside to see Lexa. She was sat beside her bed with a tear stained face, bloodied knuckles and furniture all over the floor. A sword even stood out from the bedpost where she had clearly tried to take her anger out on it.

Costia was gone and Lexa would never be the same.

For the following weeks, Lexa lashed out at everyone who posed even a mild annoyance. She even threw a cup at Wulf in annoyance but quickly got up and scratched her head, apologising tiredly. A couple of nights, Wulf even climbed onto Lexa's bed and lay the length of it, comforting the girl who refused to be anything but strong.

It was, sadly, less that a month later that Wulf excitedly picked up Costia's scent only to whine when Titus brought a box into Lexa's bedroom while she was relaxing. Wulf continued to whimper as Lexa accepted the box, trying desperately to warn her that something just wasn't right.

Wulf had feared that one of Costia's hands would be in the box. It was much, much worse. For a second after opening the box, Lexa did nothing. She didn't move or react in any way and simply closed the box and stared off into space.

" _Heda-_ " Titus started to speak, but Wulf silenced him with a snarl upon seeing _nothing_ on Lexa's face. Only when she was feeling so much would she hide it, especially in her own room.

" _Find our traitor, Titus. Find them quickly._ " And that was all that was said.

Wulf threw herself into helping to avenge Costia. She hunted ruthlessly and dragged stray Azgeda soldiers to their deaths once Lexa declared war.

The following months were bloody and filled with death. Lexa grew as a commander, showing her people that she was not at all weak and could kill those who needed to be killed, while also showing mercy to those who deserved it.

Finally, on a cold morning, Wulf made progress.

She found the very soldier who had been _bragging_ about having been the one to drug Costia when she fought to get away. He'd even been stupid enough to talk about being there when Nia beheaded her.

Well now, he just wasn't allowed to get away.

As much as Wulf would have enjoyed stalking him through the woods and making him run for his life as she chased him, she wasn't stupid enough to risk him getting away.

She launched herself from nowhere and landed physically on top of the other Azgeda warrior he had been bragging to. That was when he pissed himself and tried to draw his sword. She bit into his shoulder and shook him violently into a tree, pleased when he screamed and cried out.

From there, she dragged him by his foot all the way to the gates of Polis.

He cried and begged loudly for his life, but no sympathy was shown by anyone as everyone in the city let Wulf past. Some of them even spat at him and kicked him as he passed.

She dragged him all the way up the tower and shook him wildly when he tried to grab a guard's spear. Upon reaching the throne-room, everyone inside stopped what they were doing as soon as her hide shuffled backwards into the room and slung him to the middle of the floor where he actually opted to crawl closer to Lexa, crying and begging.

Not wanting him close to her, Wulf grabbed his foot and yanked him closer before releasing him and stalking over the top of him, bracing all four feat either side of him and roaring loudly in his face, teeth on show.

Somewhat calmly, Lexa stood from her throne and waved off any ambassadors who was talking at that time. " _Do tell me. Why has my wolf brought you to me?_ "

Sobbing, the man writhed beneath Wulf to the extent that Lexa warned her away a little. She backed off but still stood barely two feet away. She allowed bloody saliva the drop from her mouth as she continued snarling, her muscles taut. " _Well?_ " Lexa demanded, her voice cold.

He blubbered like a baby and told her everything. He told her what he personally had done to Costia, what the others had done, especially what some of the male guards had done. He even gave up the name of another ambassador who was conveniently trying to leave the room before Wulf turned and caught him as his name was spoken, simply stepping over and placing a huge paw onto his lap before he could stand. She simply growled into his face and he didn't dare budge another inch.

The Azgeda warrior died in the throne room that day with Lexa's sword pushed slowly through his gut, but the ambassador died a death by a thousand cuts. Both men wept, but neither would bring Costia back.

By the time Lexa finally caught the last of the men and women involved in taking Costia, there was only Queen Nia left. It had taken her two years to get it all done, but she had found and killed them all, all with Wulf's help. They were a perfect team, truly.

And so, when one day something fell from the sky and burst with young delinquents, Lexa allowed Wulf to take a look. She was ordered to be careful and Lexa knew that she somehow understood the orders.

Wulf followed Anya, an old friend of Lexa's, to scope things out, and found herself thoroughly confused by them all as soon as she laid eyes on them. Where had they come from? What did they want? Well, whatever it was, Wulf would kill them all if they meant to harm Lexa, all one hundred and one of them, starting with their pretty blonde leader.

* * *

 **Just a quick one here, but I'd like to say that once I catch up with the TV show's start, there will be much more dialogue and interactions etc so there will probably be a noticeably different feel to the chapters, I hope it all works out though.**

 **I hope this whole thing was okay and that anyone at all is excited for the next chapter! Please please please tell me how I've done, I got one review last chapter and honestly little comments make my day so feel free to say anything at all! Also, if I do a bad job of explaining something then please feel free to message me and I'll clear it up!**


	3. Chapter 3

**First of all, thank you so much to those of you who left reviews for me! I know it doesn't sound like many (4) but honestly checking my emails and seeing the comments you've left brightened my work day and every other day for that matter! Honestly, just thank you so much, the feedback so far has been really positive and in exchange I promise to try to keep updating quickly.**

 **After this chapter, I only have another two already written, then I've caught up with myself. I'm writing as quickly as I can because my initial plan was to update once a week or once every other week, but as I stated last chapter, I have no impulse control so here we are three days later with another chapter... oops. Anyway, please enjoy and tell me what you think!**

* * *

Wulf found that in watching the new arrivals, she picked up on the language they spoke more and more. She, of course, remembered watching Lexa learning their tongue and even learned it herself, but this was different. They were using so many colloquialisms that so much of what they were saying was lost on her, but thankfully she made out most of it.

They were looking for Mount Weather.

They were Mountain Men.

Had they finally figured out how to come out without their suits? She prayed not.

When she returned to Polis, Lexa was glad to see her. It was late, so they simply went to her room and slept, but the next morning they went about their old routine. It had been so long since they had bought eggs in the market that the vendor seemed shocked and exasperated to see them.

Had Lexa been looking, she would have seen the looks of appreciation she was getting from many young men and women, but she didn't. Wulf did, but she could hardly tell her. Plus, despite the time, they were both missing Costia. Wulf often wondered if anyone else would ever make Lexa giggle again, but she doubted it. She hadn't seen a real smile in months, no matter how many Azgeda warriors they killed.

Since the coalition, Wulf had been ordered to leave any Azgeda soldiers that she found, but that was asking a lot. She still took time to scare any that she found, but she respected Lexa and understood that she would be killed herself if she was found to be the cause of a break in the coalition.

The wolf could remember seeing the _dropship_ , as the kids had called it, fall from the sky, burning all the way until it crashed, leaving desolation and ruin in its wake. The initial bout of flames hadn't been out of control, but they had destroyed a few fields of crops before they'd died down. Sadly, even families had been killed by falling pieces of metal and burning branches that it had torn in its descent.

As per Lexa's orders, none of them were harmed until they tried to cross the riverline. It was the boundary between them and the territory of the Mountain Men, and so when a small group of them tried to cross, the first spear was thrown, lodging itself into the chest of a peculiar looking boy. Wulf dragged him off by his shirt when the other kids screamed and fled, moving him to exactly where Anya said and watching as they set a trap using him as bait.

Wulf wanted desperately to see how things played out, but she had work to do, so later that very night, Anya tied a note to her leg and sent her sprinting back to Polis. It may have been a two day ride, but if was a mere few hours for Wulf when she really pushed herself. And so she did. It was later that night that Lexa welcomed her back into Polis with a warm smile, waiting until they were alone in her room before hugging the wolf's neck tightly. She muttered that she was glad to see her, feeling the wolf sigh happily against her and rest her large head on Lexa's back.

Alas, there was a job to be done, so the pair was soon parting ways once more. It was the early hours of the morning when Lexa waved Wulf off again, this time with a new note upon her leg. A note that gave Anya express permission to stage an attack on the remaining children of Mount Weather. Lexa refused to be beaten down by them, not when the coalition had come so far.

Wulf's paws beat hard against the ground for the next few hours, tiring her beyond belief with no break in sight. She considered napping in a cave, knowing that only she and Lexa knew what time she had left Polis, but she dismissed the idea. Lexa hadn't given her an urgent message just so that she could deliver it slowly. No, she even sped up, knowing that a rest would come when it was due and not a moment sooner. All warriors had to rest, she simply had to bide her time and keep doing good work.

For the following days, Wulf was the fastest way for Anya and Lexa to communicate, and so she was really put to work. She sprinted between Polis and the crash site at least once a day both ways, sometimes two if she pushed well into the night. It seemed, no matter how stupid these kids seemed to be, there were also dangerous. Now, they weren't too dangerous, but they seemed to hold onto their supplies well once the warriors made themselves known. Wulf was itching to fight, but Anya never sent her close enough for her to start picking them off.

Not until now.

Crouched, Wulf watched the young couple stumbling around outside the camp's walls, drunk on both love and the nuts that they had been stupid enough to eat. Wulf looked across to Anya when the pair stumbled dangerously close, grinning maliciously and snarling when she received a smirk and a nod. _Finally,_ a kill.

Anyone who had eaten the nuts would be hallucinating by now, so she didn't bother with hiding herself as she stood and began to walk through the small stream with no urgency to her stride.

Still stumbling and groping at one another in their pleased stupor, the couple giggled together and tried desperately to get into one another's pants, not even noticing the six and a half foot death coming their way despite her ashy white fur clashing with every single part of the forest around her. With them blissfully unaware, she bared her teeth and began to growl and snap at the air, letting her teeth snap at one another until they turned and saw her.

Unlike anyone else, they laughed. Too far gone to know to be scared, they laughed and pointed. The male continued to laugh, reaching out as if to touch her, while the female stumbled closer a few steps and actually fell but a foot from Wulf's mighty paw. It seemed that the stinging of her knees sobered her a little somehow, but only then did she seem to notice what a terrible situation she had found herself in.

She barely had time to look up and gasp before Wulf's paw shot out and landed on her back, forcing her to the floor as she literally walked over the girl, crushing her ribs under the weight of the wolf's body. The male, to give him his due, seemed to snap out of it a little too. He gasped and began to scream, turning to run only for Wulf to lurch forwards and catch him by the shoulder between her teeth, growling savagely as she swung him into a tree, dropping what was now a corpse at her feet.

The beast in her wanted then to eat her prey, but instead she dragged the male over to where the female was wheezing out her last painful breath, dropping them both together before taking a leg from both of them into her mouth and dragging them towards the gates of the camp. The teens would get the shock of their lives, that's for sure.

She, Anya and the others in the woods headed back to their camp that night, laughing about these idiots who had fallen from the sky. So far, their only skills seemed to be dying.

In the following weeks, Wulf watched as the kids grew. She watched as they slowly but surely learned the ways of the land, as they lost people to stupidity, and even as they dared to pit themselves against experienced Trikru warriors. Imagine her surprise when some of the kids actually won.

Wulf became more and more focused on their blonde leader, watching as this single one seemed no longer a leader, though on occasion all of the kids looked to her. It was odd to say the least, but Wulf saw something in her. A spark, a flame, something dangerous. It reminded her of the very same thing that she had seem in Lexa all those years ago when watching her spar with Anya. Those had been easier times, nothing like this. War after war seemed to plague them now, or at the very least the threat of war. Of course, there had been more wars before Lexa's time as commander, but now Wulf was in the thick of it all.

As the children began to grow, Wulf grew more and more worried. They made little attempt to contact the Mountain Men, something that struck her as odd, but before she knew it she was being sent back to Polis. Lexa had ordered her return as Anya's tactics began to fail. It was when guns surfaced in the camp that it was clear that they had let things go on for too long. Even Wulf could not empty the camp of life now, and so Tristan was brought in.

Wulf, not fond of Tristan, was glad to be leaving in the end, especially after he made a loud remark about how much meat would come off of such a wolf.

After a long few hours of running, Wulf was glad though to see Lexa again, but the Commander was anything but happy. Of course she was thrilled to see her wolf again, but the delinquents were causing her some trouble. She had let them carry on for too long and had even had to relieve Anya of her command, something that she hadn't wanted to do. Alas, this was not a case of wants, it was a case of survival and eliminating what threatened that survival.

The wolf could see the toll that this was taking on Lexa and she didn't like it one bit. Over the following days, she tried to make things as easy for the commander as she could by hunting each morning, keeping herself clean to avoid mess, she even lay in a thoroughly uncomfortable position all night simply because Lexa was using her as a pillow and fell asleep, though of course that good sleep was broken when Lexa woke, leaving her just as exhausted as before.

" _What am I to do?_ " Lexa spoke into the air, not actually asking the wolf for her thoughts of course. " _Tristan will deal with this, I am sure, but things should not have come this far. I should have squashed them sooner._ "

Whining into the early morning's crisp air, Wulf shuffled closer to Lexa from her spot on the floor of the throne room, laying her muzzle against Lexa's boot. She hated that Lexa blamed herself, she wished that she could do something, but this was too much even for her. Their guns, their bullets, she would be dead before she was even done with half of them.

A busy day filled with the demands of Polis' people distracted Lexa for at least a few hours, but before long Titus was waving people away and telling Lexa that he was worried. He worried that while he attention was in one place, Azgeda was in another. He worried that he throne was looking appealing and her armies were looking tired. Lexa didn't like that. Not one bit.

Wulf snapped at Titus, pleased when he apologised quickly and told Lexa that _he_ knew that she was strong and was simply relaying what he was hearing.

It didn't seem that either Lexa nor Wulf believed him, but neither of them cared about that bald man's feelings. Lexa dismissed him with but the wave of a hand, watching as he scurried away patiently, leaving her alone with her wolf.

 _"And what do you think? Are we weak?"_ Lexa asked the one soul whom she trusted fully, looking at the wolf who lay beside her throne. Wulf, in reply, seemed to scoff almost in a human manor, laying her head on her paws as if to tell Lexa what a stupid question she had just asked. _"No? Well then, you be sure to remind the rest of our coalition."_

Some time passed, the two still in the throne room, and no one entered. It was a nice bit of peace and quiet for a change. _"Do you think that I should kill them? Tristan will do so, but do you think me a coward for not going there myself? I'm sure that you and I could have made quick work of them had we gone alone in the beginning."_ Wulf chuffed happily beside Lexa, clearly fond of the idea.

Chuckling, the commander reached down and scratched the mighty beast's head right between the ears, feeling the coarse fur run through her fingers. Wulf's head was usually soft; a sign that she was in desperate need of a bath. Lexa hadn't noticed, not even the smell, not until now. _"Are you sure they didn't smell you coming? You smell worse than the carcasses you bring in here for breakfast!"_

Wulf and Lexa, much like they used to do, went up to Lexa's room and had a hot bath drawn once the day came to a close. The women who filled the grand tub were as wary of Wulf as they always were, filling it quickly with steaming water that had been heated gently above a number of fires, then they scurried out, leaving their leader and her pet alone.

Lexa bathed first, not caring to cover herself in front of Wulf. She didn't take long despite Wulf's efforts to seem relaxed as she lay on the bathroom floor, but Lexa rarely took time to relax anymore, not when every corner of her world seemed to be closing in. Next, she ordered Wulf to place one paw at a time in the tub, washing her as thoroughly as she could before resorting to pouring bowls full of water over the beast and simply scrubbing her as best she could with just her hands, leaving a pile of towels on the floor for her to roll in.

 _"You know, Wulf, you remind me of someone from my past. The way you look out for me and go out of your way to make me smile. She was like that. Her name was River."_ Wulf listened for hours as Lexa talked. At some point they were both dry and in bed and at some point they both succumbed to sleep, but many miles away, somewhere, wolves the size of horses filled the forest's air with howls that called for blood. Their call would be answered, that much was sure.

* * *

 **So, thoughts? It's the following chapters from here on really that will change the story's dynamic with more dialogue etc. I've tried to hold the show relatively closely but there are a few chapters who I may save from death and a few who I might just push into an early grave, so you'll all have to tell me how you feel about the whole thing. If the dialogue kills the vibe next time then tell me and I'll pull back and bring things back to how these first couple of chapters have been, after all this is about making my imagination come out as a good read, so if there's something that could make it better then please tell me!**

 **Also, obviously I'm going to ask you to _please_ review and give me your thoughts, but more importantly I'd just like to say thank you for coming this far on my crazy adventure with me, it means a lot to be able to share my words with others, especially such a kind and caring community such as the one that resides on FanFiction.**


	4. Chapter 4

**This is the shortest one yet. Unedited, this chapter is 1,210 words and honestly I loved writing every second of it. Because of my impatience, I have a real issue writing characters, loving them and then not using them. Someone in here is someone I've wanted to shove into every chapter, but I had to wait, so I told myself that releasing another chapter so soon was acceptable because of my whole lack of impulse control and it's such a tiny chapter!  
**  
 **A quick shout out to everyone who left me some reviews last chapter, I had the dumbest smile on my face and still do every time I think about it. I checked the reviews about five times last night and just smiled like a massive dope every damn time, so thank you!**

* * *

The wolf sprinted, mud and blood tainting its usually pure coat. In its mighty jaw, it soon held the neck of a human. It clamped down hard and swung the offending person violently, hitting another five of them with the swinging legs. The human, of course, was dead the second the wolf clamped down and the others soon followed.

Before long, bodies were strewn from one end of the small clearing to the other, leaving nothing but the single wolf standing, a few arrows lodged into its hide, not that it paid them much mind.

With a long, deep breath, the wolf, black of coat, thought happy thoughts. Well, as happy as one could be with a side full of arrows. It took a good minute or so of calming down and feeling the gentle breeze. Then, as if the wolf had never even been there, a man stood in its place.

Tall and handsome, the offending man had deeply tanned skin from years of exposure, fewer scars than one would expect, the deepest, _earthiest_ eyes that could ever even dream of being in such a ruggedly handsome face and quite the scruffy mop of short but unruly hair. It usually stayed in the same non-committal, easy going push to the side that he went with most days, shaved at the sides and not really too long at the top to do much with, but every time he had a scrap he found himself with messy hair.

Sighing, he looked at the bodies around him and winced ever so slightly at the arrows still protruding from his side, chest and leg. They totalled eight, which was fewer than the fifteen or so bodies on the ground. He wondered, should he arrange them on their own doorstep?

Well, whatever his plan with the bodies, he could do it after removing the annoyances from his side.

It took precisely thirteen minutes of gritted teeth and slippery fingers covered in blood before the final of the arrows was freed from his side and dropped at his feet. The holes, he knew, would be tender for a day or two, but he could already feel the healing process knitting him together in the deeper pits of the wounds.

The sun was rising around him, meaning that the beams of light shooting through trees signalled the release of another hunting party, all of whom would be looking for him. It was no secret that wolves were being actively hunted by Queen Nia of Azgeda, especially once they left prints right outside her gate. Of course, she presumed it to have been Heda's wolf, so took the prints as a threat, when in actual fact a young wolf had tried to sneak in during the colder months to steal fish. The poor thing had been cold and didn't yet know how to find his food himself.

Alas, since that day, Azgeda warriors had been looking for the wolves and were becoming surprisingly good at finding them.

With a deep sigh, the now-man rubbed his cold limbs to work some warmth into them, cupping his privates in his other hand as his feet stepped through the snow to where one of the cleaner kills had taken place. He looked the soldier up and down, noting that despite the guy's lack of head, he seemed to be in good condition. Well, his clothes did at the very least.

He dressed himself quickly, checking the packs of each of the dead men, glad to find spare underpants that still smelled fresh and unworn. He may have been an animal, but wearing another man's dirty underpants was a huge no. He was a sanitary animal if nothing else.

Once he was dressed, he set about making a further mess of the bodies he had created. He used their knives, arrows and axes to rid the bodies of any signs of an animal attack. Instead, it simply looked like they'd either gone crazy and killed one another, or that they had been ambushed and killed in their hunt. Either would be believed these days, so he opted to take their weapons when he left. He could always find use for good steel.

His home was scarily close to where the hunt had been headed, but he wasn't worried. No. The warriors had too many suspicions and the wolf too few. His home was deep in the _Wantri_ , mean death woods. They were named as such many years ago when a mysterious force from the woods very depth turned almost an entire army insane within the space of a night, killing well over two thirds of it, claiming half of the remaining for its own purposes and releasing the rest to tell the tale.

Of course, the wolves knew that all that had happened was an overly ambitious wolf had tried in vain to turn the entire army to make them serve under him. It would have been the most powerful army ever, but of course not all took to the turn and the turn didn't take to many. So many dead, though a few more than decent warriors were left to the woods. Since then, the _Wantri_ was officially off-limits and the Azgeda warriors still held to that rule.

With his haul, the previously black wolf wandered home in the clothing of his enemies, smiling when a good hour later another wolf came into view. _"Nice clothing."_ She joked shortly after returning to her human form. _"Looks like they made a kebab out of you."_

 _"They tried."_ He replied nonchalantly. _"I'm tough."_ He then added with a shrug. _"Anything from_ her _?"_ He asked, though his tone had long since lost hope when asking about _her._

 _"What do you think?"_ The female scoffed, grabbing a nearby dress and pulling it on to cover herself. There was no embarrassment among the wolves when it came to nudity, but when in their human forms they still preferred to dress. _"You know exactly where she is. Holed up with The Commander like always. Scouts say no one's left Polis in a week, not since she returned."_ She took some of the load from his arms, carrying it beside him to the small hut that sat happily outside the mouth of a cave.

They carried it all in silence from there, placing everything in a pile to be washed and sharpened before stepping out of the cabin as other wolves closed in.

That night, their pack meeting around a campfire was just beginning to get heated -pardon the pun- when something shocked them all. Of course they had all seen the first metal carrier fall from the sky, but none of them had expected to see a second, no any of the others as they all shot down, raining into different parts of the coalition's lands.

 _"What does this mean?"_ One wolf asked, his tone small and scared despite his muscle mass.

Sighing, the black wolf clenched his teeth for a moment. _"I don't know, but it can't be good."_ He replied, saying a mental prayer for the white wolf whom he so desperately wanted to see. Perhaps getting closer to the action would guarantee him that? He wasn't sure, but he was willing to find out.

* * *

 **So, any thoughts? I know this was super short, but I have a few more written and we all know I won't be able to hold onto those for long, so don't worry.  
**  
 **I'd love it if you guys would review of course, but as I said last time, I'm honestly just over the moon that anyone's out there enjoying this!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I managed to hold myself back two days between updates (if I wait another three hours then it would be an acceptable three days, but I'm not that patient) so here we are going into the fifth chapter. Again, I'd like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed, favourited and just read my story, it means the world to me, truly.  
**  
 **This chapter doesn't house answers as to who/what took last chapter by storm, but I promise that more is on the way! I would also like to quickly note that obviously I only own my characters, I'm saying this because almost 100% of the dialogue in this chapter was literally copied from the TV show as I didn't want to miss anything or include anything that would cause trouble for me later, so you should recognise most of this chapter as just being some of the show with an added wolf. anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

At Gustus' side, Wulf snapped and snarled. She didn't like the position that Lexa was in, not one bit, but she knew what had to be done, so she stuck to Gustus like glue until the large man raised a hand and she silenced immediately.

The guards from either side of him came out from behind him and round him, coming face to face with two of the people who fell from the sky. They went to the dark skinned man, the one who simply wouldn't be quiet, then they began to hit and kick him. The other man, to Wulf's surprise, begged them to stop. They didn't, they don't answer to him.

Both men looked utterly terrified by her to say the least. "W-we came in peace!" The white man shouted, his voice shaking but sure, probably out of fear.

Only when Gustus raised his hand again do they stop, then retreat to their places behind him and Wulf. "You speak of peace," Gustus started gruffly, his voice calm but dangerous. "while you sent an assassin into one of my villages."

Confused, the white man cocked his head. "What are you talking about?" He asked, every breath seeming to strain his lungs.

Calmly and assertively, Gustus replied, looking directly at the black man who the guards had already kicked. "Blood must have blood." His voice was cold and sure, leaving no room for reason. "One of you will die, here, today, by the other's hand. I will hear the terms of your surrender from the man who lives." Though shocking, his words weren't delivered harshly, perhaps that's what made them shake Marcus Kane and Thelonious Jaha to their cores. Then, looking directly at Lexa who was dressed as a simple servant, Gustus spoke in their own tongue. " _Fetch us when it is done."_ He told her, waiting for her well acted submissive nod before turning and leaving with the guards and Wulf.

Wulf, however, left Gustus' side the second they were out of view and out of the earshot of humans. She wouldn't leave Lexa _completely_ alone, but she knew not to get in the way.

It felt as if forever had passed by the time only a quarter of an hour had gone, but having no way to tell the time made both men tired, scared and disoriented.

Sighing, then releasing a deep, long breath, Thelonious chuckled darkly, "They want us to turn on each other." He told Kane, eyeing the servant girl suspiciously. She didn't flinch at his words, did she even understand them?

Then, as if she could feel his accusation, she turned just slightly. "They want justice." She told him, though her voice held no bite. She clearly wasn't a fighter, just a simple maid.

"Lives have been lost on both sides." Marcus stated, rubbing his eyes tiredly with a frustrated hand. "That's why we need to _end_ this _war_!" He then barked at no one in particular.

A moment of silence fell on them, followed only by the sounds of a rag being rinsed by the servant, then Jaha speaking. "What's your name?" He asked her, curious.

Lexa, of course, replied honestly. Lies were hard to keep going. "Lexa."

"Lexa?" Thelonious repeated, waiting for a small nod before continuing again. "I'm Thelonious. This is Marcus. Your commander spoke of an assassin in a village?" Lexa noted that he didn't _seem_ to know about the massacre that had occurred on soil not far from her own village. She'd seen good actors and liars alike before though, so no one would walk simply because they _looked_ innocent enough.

"Yes. Eighteen of our people were murdered. Elders. Children." She tried hard not to spit the words at him, but she was sure that she would be excused for having a little anger drip from her tone since there were eighteen of her people who would never wake to see another morning. Men, woman and children who would neer ae another moment, simply lost in a moment of time that no doubt terrified them utterly to the core.

"We had nothing to do with that." Kane stated firmly.

Sighing, Lexa shrugged a tiny bit and began to gently dab old, dried blood from the floor with her damp rag. A servant girl who didn't clean would be the most suspicious thing about her facade. "That doesn't matter." She told them truthfully, she would gladly take both their lives in payment. If only she'd let Wulf stay long enough to see things and report back. Alas, she did not. "The commander thinks you did. One of you must pick up the knife. That is our way."

With a huge weight atop his shoulders, Thelonious walked slowly, weighed down, before softly crouching beside Lexa. He wasn't sure if he meant to intimidate her or maybe win her over, but his words needed to be said and he needed an answer, so he got close and towered over her. "And if we refuse?"

Dramatically, Lexa looked back at him, unafraid, then answered with a simple, cold tone. "Then the commander will use it to slit both of your throats." And she would.

.

.

.

.

.

Wulf, finally relaxing at the top of the steps that lead down to Lexa and the prisoners, breathed out a huge sigh. She knew that Lexa was more than capable of killing both men in there with nothing but the rag and bucket she had entered with, but knowing that she personally could probably break the locked gate down and come to her aid settled the wolf.

She lay on her stomach with her front paws stretched out in front of her and her back ones slightly out to the side, watching people running around her for one thing or another.

One thing she could admit to herself was that she sometimes missed having a family. She missed having other who cared about her, those whom she could talk to. It had been a long time since she'd opened her mouth and someone had understood the sounds that fell out. Communicating with Lexa was fine, they were so in sync that Wulf never tried to convey what she knew she couldn't and Lexa only asked questions which she knew Wulf could answer, but other people? Well, the number of times shed get questions like ' _Where did Lexa go?'_ despite their knowing that the wolf could just reply with ' _Ah, she just ran out to get some eggs'_. It was ridiculous.

Growing more and more relaxed, Wulf even opted to close her eyes for a moment and draw in the scents around her. The camp always had interesting ones, be it the different plants they grew or the worse ones like days upon days of unwashed prisoners.

She had been listening out for Lexa's call, but for so long they had been silent now. It was strange, but not suspiciously so, so Wulf simply lay her tired head down and decided to take a few minutes of sleep where she could get them. The damn Mountain had been driving them all wild lately and sleep was increasingly hard to come by.

.

.

.

.

.

"This has gone on long enough." Jaha grumbled from one end of the room. Perhaps it was his insistently full bladder urging him along, or maybe he simply was tired of waiting, but no matter what it was, he knew that the time for decisions had come. "There must be some other way to reslove this. Something we haven't thought of yet."

Sighing, Lexa shook her head. She had long since cleaned the blood from the floor and was now just waiting in a crouched position for the right time to call Gustus back in. "There isn't." She stated, her voice tired.

Kane shook his head to himself. The maid was right. "She's right. They're not budging." His words, though directed at Jaha, were said looking at Lexa. For a scared girl, she was awfully at ease in the company of two men who were both larger than her.

Brought from his thoughts when Jaha lumbered over to him and bent down, Kane loked up at the man who's word he once followed to the very letter. He would have asked him where they went so wrong, but he already knew that.

Speaking quietly, Thelonious spoke only to Marcus. "We can offer them a trade." He stated, his voice soft but sure. "These people are primitive. I've seen how they live. Our technology, our medicine. All we'd ask for is peace in return."

Marcus couldn't believe it. Had he been the only one listening to the leader? "If we truly want peace... they told us how to get it." He told Thelonious, trying to hide the anger and pain that laced his voice.

"Through murder?" Jaha scoffed. Marcus surely couldn't be serious?

With a sure tone, Kane stood up and spoke. "Through sacrifice."

Lexa, feeling a shift in the air, stood. Were they finally ready to do things the right way.

With a focused heart and mind, Kane walked over to the discarded knife on the floor and picked it up. Jaha looked between him and Lexa, willing one of them to talk, but to no avail.

"Marcus, what are you doing?" He asked, talking a gentle step in Kane's direction.

"If we don't make a choice, then we'll both die. And the killing won't end. There's only one way out of this." The air grew infinitely more tense in the room and even Lexa found herself unsure of what was going to happen. She had been so sure of this man's morals until now, would he really murder another of his own? She had been sure that things would be the other way around. "You have to kill me. You have to do this, it's our only choice." Kane surprised them both, flipping the knife in his palm and offering it out to Jaha.

Lexa, shocked, almost scoffed aloud. Was this the kind of man she could work with?

"Kane, no."

Sighing with an almost ironic smile, Kane shook his head gently. Was Thelonious not understanding? "They respect strength, let's show them ours."

Lexa felt the weight of his words. He understood, finally.

"I said _no_. You did not order the massacre." Jaha snapped, thinking that perhaps Marcus had gone mad.

"Not that one."

"Marcus, you don't need redemption. The choice we made on the Ark was about survival. We did what we had to so the human race would survive."

"The human race was already surviving!" Kane boomed, gesturing to Lexa to show proof that the human race was in fact surviving and thriving without their help.

"Then we did it for our people!"

"Yes," Kane agreed. "and now we must do this. It's the only way."

"Not gonna happen."

"You're a good man, Thelonious. I won't let you die for me." Jaha barely had a second of confusion before he was lurching forward to stop Kane as the other man pressed the blade firmly into his own skin and sliced his wrist wide open, blood pouring out.

"Marcus, no!" Thelonious was quick to take Marcus to the ground, dropping the injured man onto his back and taking the knife. "Come on. Help us. Please. Please!" He begged Lexa with wide eyes.

Quickly, Lexa rang out her rag and came closer to the men, handing the rag over. She didn't want this man to die, but equally she didn't want t help too much. She hadn't foreseen this happening, that much was certain.

"Good, thank you." Jaha's words were sincere, only making his next more all the more shocking. "I told you, we didn't come all this way to die." True to his word ocne Marcus' wound was wrapped, he shot up with speed, grabbing Lexa hard and pinning her to his front, pressing the tip of the knife to her throat where the thin skin lay.

"Thelonious, no!" Kane hollered from the floor, looking at the seemingly panicked eyes of the maid.

"I choose to live." Jaha ground out, pain clearly evident in his voice. Lexa could _feel_ that this man wasn't going to kill her, not that he even could if she chose to suddenly turn on him.

With a mightly roar from the chest of the even mightier beast, Wulf came barrelling through the door that burst from its hinges with a swift, clean sound, locking her eyes on the man holding Lexa hostage with the very knife she would love to kill him with. This one she would love to eat. Good meat didn't need a funeral, not when it threatened Lexa.

Around her, Gustus and the guards re-entered, regarding the room coldly.

"Take off these chains." Jaha's voice, though stern, was a beg.

Another beg came from Marcus Kane, though this one was to Jaha himself. "Thelonious, please, she's just an innocent girl." He looked at the girl in question who's chest was rising and falling at speed, fear in her eyes. Killing this girl would do them no good.

Suddenly breaking her facade, Lexa's face changed, then her stance, until she looked and Gustus and spoke in their tongue. " _He made his choice. This one's mine."_ She stated, wasting little time before quite literally flipping the dark skinned man over her shoulder, dropping his heavily on his own back where he sprawled out on the floor with his limbs out in all different directions.

Quickly, without even a slight loss in momentum, she crouched over him, knife in hand, and looked down at him sternly.

"Okay." Jaha wheezed, clearly knowing when he was beaten.

 _"I've heard what I needed to hear."_ Lexa spoke to Gustus.

Gustus and guards in unison, then replied. _"Yes, Commander."_

In a swift set of movements, Lexa stood full from above Jaha, letting Gustus remove her robe from his own shoulders, clipping them ceremoniously onto hers with a satisfyingly quiet _pfff_ of sliding fabrics.

Lexa reached out to Wulf fondly, reminding the two prisoners that she was there, allowing her to step closer to Jaha and snarl deeply from her chest at him. Despite her uncharacteristically clean coat, she still looked terrifying.

"You're the commander?" Kane croaked, eyes as wide as saucers with surprise. She'd heard everything that they'd said.

No emotion, Lexa didn't even turn to face Kane, though it was clear that her words were for him. "I've learned much about you. It's clear your intentions are honourable. Your desire for peace is true." She then looked up at her guards who stood ready to obey. " _Free him."_ Then, back to Kane who was still looking at her with nothing but pure confusion. What was her plan? _"_ Later, we will talk. In the meantime, you friend will be used to send a message."

"No... No. No!" It dawned quickly on Kane exactly what kind of message that would be, but the guards were too quick, catching him and holding him there while the others advanced on Jaha and began to punch and kick him. "Don't hurt him, stop! Stop! Stop, please!" Kane's pleas, however, fell on deaf ears.

Stopping, the guards were quick in grabbing Jaha and swiftly dragging him away, giving him no time to so much as breathe before he was ot of sight and Kane was dropped.

"The massacre must be answered." Lexa stated into the air. Kane had to understand their ways if and alliance was even possible. "Blood must have blood." She finished, feelng the words thick in her mouth as she kept a hand on Wulf, perhaps for support.

Blood _must_ have blood.

* * *

 **Not a lot of Wulf this chapter, but obviously there's a lot of the story that she can't really be a part of since she can't be in a million places at once. I'm not overly keen on writing chapters that don't have her or another wolf in often, but if I can't find a way to stick her somewhere important then there might be a couple of scenes without her. Also, I might release another update tonight if I remember to upload and edit it, so keep an eye out for that if you're having fun reading this!**

 **As always, please review, tell me what you think, message me with questions or just for a chat, I'm almost always about to reply to anything. Have an amazing day/night, two weeks until Christmas!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I know that I said I would try to get this chapter out last night but honestly I just fell asleep, but it's technically only a few hours later now anyway so I figure this is fine. A few people have mentioned Clarke now, so I promise that she's on her way, just not quite this chapter. I hope everyone enjoys, and of course thank you so much to those who reviewed last chapter!**

* * *

With so much happening in every corner of Lexa's ruled lands, it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to actually remain on top of everything. Three hundred of her warriors slaughtered by who she thought had been Mountain Men. The _actual_ Mountain Men then taking those who killed her own men. A frenzied shooting in one of her villages. It was time, now, for her to come forward and set the rules oh so very clearly out to these people from the sky. She just hoped that it didn't have to be with too much blood.

Wulf, on the other hand, was ready for war. Each day, Lexa watched as her beloved wolf sat in front of her at every turn, never leaving her side for even a second, snapping and snarling at every movement in any corner of the room.

"Your people will agree to this?" Lexa's voice cut through the room, all the way across the table where Marcus Kane was gratefully gulping down a glass of clean water, eyeing up the plate of pork and eggs in front of him. He'd been well fed since his time spent in Ton DC, thank to Lexa, but he seemed shocked by every meal, no matter how simple.

Nodding, he refrained from digging into his food and smiled as genuinely as he could across the table. "We don't want violence any more than you. Whoever ordered the killings in your village, I'm sure that my people would agree to sentence them to death. Life for life."

Wulf scoffed as best a wolf could. Almost three hundred and fifty of their men, women and children dead and he was of course happy to only pay with one life. She would have killed them all for the pain they put in Lexa's heart.

"Good." Lexa stated simply. "Right now you eat, but when the sun peaks, you ride for your home and deliver the news. We will ride tomorrow, armed. My armies... I do not wish to use them, Marcus Kane."

Kane nodded understandingly. "I assure you, Heda, we don't want you to use them either."

That much was true, Wulf knew, but she still didn't trust the man. He, just like her, had the interests of his people at heart. She wondered, how far would he go to keep them safe? She knew how far she would go to keep Lexa safe.

.

.

.

.

.

It had been three days since Marcus Kane had ridden for Camp Jaha, with two of Lexa's most trusted riders guiding him most of the way.

Lexa, sure that things could work, readied her army over the three days and had them march and ride along the same trails that Marcus had ridden only days before. As before, when Lexa's call spread through the lands, her warriors came to her. They rallied in Polis, drinking and whoring for a whole day before they were all ready to either fight and die, or make peace. Whatever the outcome, they were ready.

Wulf woke hours before Lexa the day they left, a howl shaking her very bones.

The howl wasn't hers.

Perhaps it was just a normal wolf? No. No wolf could howl like that, nothing so deep and treacherous would come from something the size of a large dog. No. This was one of her own.

Looking guiltily up the bed at Lexa with torn, conflicted eyes, she gently picked herself up and climbed down. Again, she looked at Lexa, this time to see that she hadn't woken, then she did the one thing that she swore to herself she would never do: she assumed her human form in the same very room in which Lexa was in.

With a gentle _**whoosh**_ of surrounding air filling the space where a once mighty wolf stood, she was changed. Feeling her heart beat a mile a minute in her newly human chest, she released a shaky breath and thanked god that she hadn't made much noise.

From there, her bare feet padded silently across the bedroom to where Lexa's door was. No claws to make a sound, not like this.

Carefully, oh so very carefully, she turned the key that locked the door, unlocking it, then pressed her ear to it and waited for complete silence outside before she pulled it open and stepped out into the corridor of the tower. As soon as she was the other side of the door, she pulled it shut and phased back into the larger of her bodies. Her human form was by far her least favourite. She had felt so vulnerable in those few seconds. So _human_.

Of course, her strength in that form still rivalled that of any ten or more men, not that she felt any less strange for it.

Glad to be back in her own thick fur, Wulf walked gently along the corridor and down the many steps of the tower, noting the shock on the faces of the guards when they saw her. It was no secret that she had been more possessive of Lexa recently, so to see her alone was surely a shock. She paid them no mind though, walking into the night of Polis until she reached the gate.

All it took to open the gate was a slight growl at the gatekeeper. The sight of her teeth, so sharp and gleaming in the moonlight, was enough for him to pull the lever without Lexa's order.

It was strange for her after that, wandering the woods, looking for something despite having no idea where to look. That was, until she heard another howl.

Something sharp jolted her insides. Was that excitement or nervousness? She didn't know, she hadn't felt either for quite some time, not like this anyway. Her every muscle throbbed in the most sweetly painful way as a voice from _her pack_ rang through the air. It wasn't the howl of a wolf in danger, no, but it was urgent. So suddenly, all she could do was run.

She sprinted with everything she had in her, ploughing down small trees that got in her way, leaping over twenty foot wide rivers that would have swallowed a horse up. She knew that howl anywhere and didn't even question why she was running to it.

By the time she reached a small clearing that the noise had definitely come from, there was no wolf in sight. Where was he? She could still feel the slight heat that had soaked into the ground from the pads of his paws when she stepped over the same ground that he had trodden down. But where had he gone?

Ears perked up, she stood as still as her body could manage, sniffing the air for any traces of his scent, but it was no use. The wide was so heavy that night, she couldn't track anything accurately from scent alone and it wasn't as if he was making any noises.

She contemplated howling, calling out to him in the night's cool air, but thought better of it. She hadn't seen another of her kind in so long, why was now so different? If he wanted to see her, he would have just stayed stood in the clearing. So, with that logic, she sighed and turned on her heels, walking back the same way which she had ran.

She hadn't noticed how badly she'd wanted to see him again until she felt her heart breaking in her chest. Trying to forget all about the life she could have had was easy, but hearing his voice carried on the wind, feeling the heat he'd left behind, it had tugged at something deep inside her that she'd done so well to trap before. Only, now it had seen a way out. What had her plan been if she had found him? It wasn't as if she would just leave Lexa and go to the pack, so what?

Sighing, she shook her head and thought of Lexa. The young woman needed her now more than ever, she couldn't afford to be running off every time she heard-

A howl!

Her ears pricked up.

He was close. By god, he was _close!_

She couldn't help herself. She had just managed to tell herself to let it all go, only to then be shooting through the woods once more, her body aching to see his form.

She cut her pads on sharp rock, covered her coat in mud, was showered in crusty bark falling from trees, but none of it mattered. Not when, as she thought all hope was lost, she saw him.

Well, correction, she _felt_ him. Not necessarily in a romantic way, more in the way that he shot out and tackled her mid-sprint, taking her to the ground in a brutally hard jab. She didn't even try to defend herself when they stopped skidding, finding herself lying on her back with his enormous frame towering over her. He, of course, had landed perfectly on his feet, his black coat immaculately kept unlike her desperately scruffy self. She didn't care though, because he was _there_.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she looked up into his eyes and saw no anger there. She wasn't quite sure what she _did_ see, but there no anger, no hate, no malice. That was enough.

.

.

.

.

.

By the time Lexa woke, Wulf had been back, let in by the necessary guards despite her being covered all over in mud. She could risk letting herself into Lexa's room though, so she lay outside and let out a high pitched whine over and over until Lexa scrambled to the door and asked her with a chuckle how she got out all on her own, ruffling the fur between her ears. It wasn't uncommon for Wulf to go out in the night to urinate and such, but she usually held her bladder until morning or woke Lexa if she needed to get out, thankfully though Lexa didn't seem worried.

Over the course of the morning, Lexa and Wulf readied themselves with Lexa's armour and war paint, plus Wulf's own terrifying paint that Lexa put on her face before any meeting that wasn't a formal sit-down.

At high noon, together with Gustus and the guard and Lexa's army, they marched.

It took a couple of days of marching through the woods and along dirt tracks before the army reached Camp Jaha, and not once did Wulf run off in the night to see the black wolf whose howls woke her each night. That night had been a one-off and she knew that he knew as such, but it didn't stop her chest from constricting harshly each time his voice rang out, nor did it stop her from standing atop a large rock one night and releasing a long, haunted howl of her own until Lexa woke along with half the army, stopping her. She returned to sleep beside Lexa that night, ensuring that her body language showed that there was no threat lurking nearby.

How she wished his form could have been lying at Lexa's other side, their noses touching above her head, keeping her safe together; but she knew that couldn't happen. He was devoted to the pack, just as she was to Lexa.

They, sadly, weren't meant to be.

* * *

 **I hope this chapter was alright! I know that not much actually happened but I think I was just trying to tie a few ends together, just to make the story an easier read. As much as I enjoy a bit of mystery, I can't write it for my life, so any unanswered questions will almost definitely be answered as quickly as possible.  
**  
 **Please review (if you fancy it) and leave me any thoughts, but most importantly just enjoy!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Just a quick update here, I have a feeling this will be a good one despite it being so short. Technically speaking, I'd say that it's part one of two because (I think) the next chapter I wrote carries on pretty much the way it does in the episode, but there are some things that I've skimmed over due to size restrictions. I had to remember that Wulf is a big girl and can't fit everywhere.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The blonde lay atop a long and slim bed made of metal. Perhaps it was more of a table. All Lexa knew was, Anya was not dead. Shot _almost_ dead by the people from the sky.

Her knuckles turned as white as Wulf's hide, clutching the metal as she refused to let her face show the pain that was rocking her body. She couldn't lose Anya.

"Everything happened so fast." One of the guards said.

"She was covered in muck. We though she was a- well, a Grounder." Said another.

"We couldn't have known she wasn't a threat."

"She could have been bringing Clarke home to get in and kill us."

"There was no way we could have known."

Excuses flew around until Lexa finally straightened her back and stood from where she had crouched to honour Anya for a moment, as if that would save her. _"We burn her with the others if she doesn't make it. Find Nyko."_ She told her own guards, letting them pass her to get to Anya's cold but desperately trying body. "She was trapped in the Mountain?" Lexa asked, her eyes still watching as her dead-looking friend was carried away, though her words were for Marcus Kane.

With sad eyes, he nodded. "Clarke recognised her and got her out while she was escaping." He told her, an apologetic tone to his voice. Lexa hated it.

"I will meet this _Klark_ in my tent. Only her. Send her to me upon her return." Her words, this time, were for Chancellor Abby Griffin, the woman who seemed so very dead set on keeping Clarke's name out of things until someone else spoke it for her. Lexa assumed immediately that Clarke must have been the relative of the chancellor, perhaps her daughter.

Not giving anyone time to protest, Lexa turned from the room and left, letting Wulf follow her as a natural barrier of sorts to give her just half a second of feeling her grief before shutting herself off again as they stepped into the sunlight and found themselves bathed in it, carrying Anya's body as her arm fell limply down to the side. Would she make it? Lexa hoped so and so did Wulf by the determination in her eyes.

Walking through the small patch of land before reaching the gates, Lexa and Wulf simply looked ahead and pretended not to hear the whispers that were flying around about them. The people were adequately terrified of Wulf, something that greatly amused Lexa's warriors.

By the time they had reached Lexa's tent, Anya had started to mumble and wheeze, trying to open her eyes. She was set down on a bed of furs beside Lexa's bed. She couldn't show too much favouritism and give her own bed, but Wulf's furs were enough to be a nice gesture for a wounded friend, plus it was no secret that Lexa had been Anya's second, so the offer was no surprise.

When everyone else finally left, Lexa sat on her bed with a huff. She was tired already, that much Wulf could see, but she could also see that losing Anya would be huge for Lexa. She'd had to leave everyone behind as a child, so reconnecting with Anya as warriors was huge. To lose her now would be to lose everything. Anya was her last connection to their old village since she could hardly go back and stay with the broken mess that was her family.

 _"Keep her warm, would you?"_ She asked Wulf, please when the animal rose to its feet and slumped back down beside Anya, placing a large front leg over the woman's thighs so that her huge neck and head ran up her body with her nose puffing air above Anya's head so to not overheat her with Wulf's hot breath. _"The shooter's life for peace. They seem unhappy with the prospect."_

Wulf scoffed as best she could, giving Lexa a look that yelled _so-fucking-what_.

 _"I know_." Lexa stated, closing her eyes with a stressed sigh. _"Three hundred and nine of my warriors burned alive, another eighteen of them shot with children among them, another however many captured by the Mountain. This crew from the sky owes us more lives than just one, but this one attack, it was unlike the others."_

Wulf nodded. The shooter, by all accounts, was entirely unprovoked when he killed helpless farmers and innocent workers.

 _"His life will be enough."_ Lexa grumbled. _"It must be, for we_ must _move forward and defeat the Mountain. These strange people and their guns... they will give us an edge we have never before had."_

Wulf already didn't like this alliance, but she knew that Lexa was logical and cared for her people if nothing else. She hoped that was enough.

For another hour or so, Lexa rested after the long hike from Polis, Wulf and Anya lay on the furs and eventually Nyko arrived and told Lexa in so many words that Anya was extremely lucky to have had someone with her who had tried to stop the bleeding so quickly. Lexa could tell that these tiny bullets could do a lot of damage, she hoped she never felt one enter her skin and steal life from her veins. No, she would have a warrior's death and die by a sword, spilling the blood of her enemy until her very last breath.

It was late when Clarke finally returned to Camp Jaha. Apparently she had been scouring the woods for someone, Lexa suspected it was the same person her warriors were searching for. She knew she'd find the shooter eventually, she just hoped that she didn't have to kill too many to get to him.

.

.

.

.

.

"You're the one who burned three hundred of my warriors alive." Lexa wasn't asking Clarke, she was telling her. Telling her that she knew.

The blonde, still warily eyeing the white wolf, nodded. "You're the one who sent them to kill us." Clarke's words, for some reason, amused Wulf. This mere child thought that they had _anything_ on Lexa? It truly was laughable.

On one side of Lexa's throne stood Indra and on the other stood Wulf. Between them, they could have scared anyone, though Wulf had a feeling that Indra was probably scarier. Something about her seemed ever so slightly unhinged, so adding that to an enormously skilled fighter was supremely scary in an amazing way. She was, however, loyal to Lexa, so that was all that concerned Wulf.

"Do you have an answer for me, Clarke of the Sky People?"

"I've come to make you an offer." The blonde stated,both her voice and her face firming up a little.

Immediately, Wulf's ears perked up. Was this girl brave or stupid? Probably both, though to have killed so many warriors was no easy feat, so Wulf knew that they would be wise to be wary of this particular blonde.

Showing no signs of annoyance, Lexa spun her knife around in her hand, never once so much as scraping herself with the blade. "This is not a negotiation." She told Clarke, feeling a little niggle of something akin to anger over the fact that the blonde would even dare to think that she had the upper hand here.

Amazed, Indra scoffed before hissing lowly at Lexa. _"Let me kill her now for you, Commander."_ Wulf, it seemed, agreed. She snarled

"I can help you destroy the mountain" Just as Lexa already predicted.

"Continue"

"Hundreds of your warriors are trapped inside Mount Weather. Drained of their blood so the Mountain Men can harvest it as medicine. You knew that they took your people, but did you know why? So they could cage them like animals for the slaughter to be tossed away when they're not needed anymore?"

"And you know this because you were there?" Lexa sounded sceptical to say the least, but that was understandable. It had been believed that the Mountain took her people to kill them, yes, but to use them as a source of medicine? It was almost too farfetched.

The blonde with the blue eyes didn't soften to Lexa's tone, nor did she back down. If anything, she stood a little taller and took a deep breath. She clearly knew when she was being questioned by someone doubting her story. "Yes, they have my people there, too. I escaped-"

"Lies. No one escapes the Mountain." Indra's interruption, though rude, was not harsh. She was simply stating what they knew to be true. _No one_ escapes the Mountain.

Clarke, to everyone's surprise, spoke almost with a snarl the next time her mouth opened. "I did. With Anya. She's proof, isn't she?" Wulf wasn't impressed by the way the young woman stepped ever so slightly in Lexa's direction. She bared her teeth only to find that the girl wasn't even looking at her but instead at Lexa.

" _If_ she wakes to confirm your story. If not then the two of you could have come from anywhere." Thankfully, Lexa's words were not soft.

 _'Good._ ' Wulf thought, looking back at the blonde with a new fire in her eyes. Who did this damned child think she was? She hadn't been at war with the Mountain her whole life like they had, yet she assumed to know more than they did just because of their fancy _computers_ and _screens_. As if any of that would matter if things came to physical combat.

With furrowed brows and a tight voice, Clarke tried to set her story straight. "We fought our way out together, she'll tell you that. She understood that we could work together, she helped me get back here-"

"And your people shot her for it."

"They didn't know." Wulf watched the blonde carefully as her expression went from utterly exasperated to something else entirely. Her face, when she looked up at Lexa, softened. For that moment, she looked as if she was truly _feeling_ something and it definitely didn't look pleasant. "Anya... she said you were her second. When she thought she was dying, she cut this off. I'm sure she wanted you to have it." With her oh-so-sad face no less sad, Clarke reached into her jacket and for a second Wulf stood from her position of lying beside Lexa's throne, taking a menacing step around her, but then, just like that, Clarke's hand was back holding a braid. No knife, no poison, just a braid.

Anya's braid.

Letting nothing at all show, Lexa accepted the lock of hair, pushing down the sick feeling in her gut and telling herself that Anya was still alive and was staying that way. "I'm still waiting for an offer, Clarke. Make me one, perhaps I'll be merciful." Her face said otherwise, but Wulf knew that Lexa was in fact a more merciful commander than they'd had in the past.

"The Mountain Men are creating Reapers. They're using your people. Some are taken for their blood, others for their brawn. I can turn them back, I've already-"

"Impossible." Indra snapped, gripping her spear until her knuckles turned a pasty white under pressure. She turned just slightly to Lexa with a storm brewing behind her eyes. _"Commander, I beg of you, let me take her head from her shoulders. This sky woman hopes to fill your head with lies!"_ How _dare_ this outsider lie to their very faces.

 _"Indra."_ Lexa, unlike Indra, seemed a little more willing to listen.

"I've already done it, with Lincoln."

And that was it. Indra, just as she was calming down at Lexa's orders, was off again like a firecracker being thrown into an inferno. She kept things as calm as she could manage, but that wasn't much. "That traitor? Is he the reason that innocent people from my village were-"

 _"Indra, enough!"_ For a second, it seemed that even Lexa's voice wouldn't be enough to quiet the dark-skinned woman with a fiery temper and an outstanding measure of loyalty. Just when Wulf was thinking about stepping in, Indra sped from Lexa's tent, letting the flaps of the door swing and sway behind her in the wind as she left. "You say that you can turn Reapers back into men? Prove it to me, Clarke of the Sky People. Show Lincoln to me."

* * *

 **I know it could have been a bit longer, but in the show that's where the scene cut (though with slightly different dialogue) and so it seemed like as good a place as any. I'll see if I can get the next chapter up either today or over the next couple of days and I promise that there will eventually be more of Wulf and Clarke together, though it might not come how you think!**

 **As always, feel free to tell me how you feel, ask me any questions etc, just please be polite. I had a couple of messages (from more than one person) either last chapter or the one before where I had a few comments that I'd rather not share, so if you've got anything unsavoury going on, keep it to yourself, many thanks!**


	8. Chapter 8

**I know it's bee a couple of days since I updated, but my laptop died and I couldn't find my charger. We're back in business though so fingers crossed you enjoy this! It's definitely not a long chapter but in a few chapters time I'll try to start lengthening things out a little, so we'll just have to wait and see how that pans out.**

* * *

So it was true.

Clarke really could turn Reapers back into men.

Wulf, quite frankly, simply couldn't wrap her head around it. She'd hated every second of them all going to see Lincoln in the Dropship. She, unlike the others, was too physically large to get through the gap at the top of the ladder. Lexa didn't even let her try before ordering her to stay at the bottom and attack if anything went wrong. No one doubted that she would have burst through the hole to protect Lexa, but not being able to see what went down? She hated it.

It had been a day since then, since Lexa had told Clarke that the price of their alliance was the death of the once they called Finn.

The blonde hadn't been happy.

Wulf had watched something change in her. Something behind her eyes seemed to just die right there in front of them. It was clear that she was finally beginning to understand. It didn't matter what she felt for this _Finn_ , his one life could end and bring about the very peace that he had so nearly cost them. It wasn't about spilling blood for the sake of it, it was about repaying a debt to the families who would never see someone again due to his actions. He had to die, Clarke understood that.

Wulf, in Lexa's tent, watched as the Commander paced. She wasn't usually someone who paced, but this was clearly getting to her. She had been promised Finn by Clarke hours ago now. If he didn't show up soon, she would have to crack Camp Jaha open like a nut and force her way inside to retrieve him.

Of course, Lexa was fine with using her army, but she didn't want to have to. She wanted for things to go smoothly, for them to hand over the boy and let him die in the name of peace. Would she hand over someone in the same situation? Yes, because she understood the consequence that came with actions.

 _"Where are they, Wulf?"_ Lexa snarled, her pace never changing speed or track. She went from her bed, past Anya, over to the rack that held her armour. She would have to don it soon, she just hoped that it was so she could take a single life, not go to war with the people she had hoped would soon be at war by her side.

Wulf sat up and whined. It was a high, desperate sound. She was begging Lexa to let her go and take over. She could sniff the boy out in a couple of hours at the most, she already had his scent burned into her nostrils from walking around the village he shot up. She would just love to drag him all the way back by one of his legs while he screamed, cried and begged. He would get no mercy from her. _"No."_ Lexa growled, annoyed. _"She must bring him. Clarke must bring him. It shows good faith, much more so than me letting you have your way."_

Lexa was, of course, right. Wulf knew that, but it didn't stop her from growling into the air. As if that would make the boy appear.

One long sigh later, Lexa was done pacing. _"Our army is outside. Let us go and wait with them."_

Indra came in and helped Lexa into her armour, then smeared black war pain across the young woman's face, turning her into a brutal warrior of the night.

Wulf had ceremonial armour, too. It had been made by a vendor in the streets of Polis as a gift for Lexa. Wulf had noticed the blush in the man's cheeks when Lexa had told him what amazing work he had done, especially since he had not come forward to actually measure Wulf, but of course Lexa didn't once notice the attraction anyone held for her. Instead, she paid him handsomely and buried him in work, blind to the affections of the young men and women of Polis.

Together, Lexa and Wulf worked the armour onto the beast's body until finally they were done. The plates of meshed metal and hard leather sat together beautifully, covering as much of Wulf as they could without hindering her movement in battle, also giving her more than enough protection to step in front of an attack meant for Lexa and be able to walk away to tell the tale with only minor injuries.

Most of the plates gave her a larger amount of coverage and were fairly simple and easy to put on, but the helmet was something else. It was technically still quite simple and truly easy to put on, but it was _different_. It was a thin coat of metal shaped to Wulf's head, covered in a thick, durable leather with spiked pieces of metal going in a line from her nose to her forehead, slowly but surely increasing in size, all of them sharp and deadly. Another couple of clusters of spikes were around her cheeks, leaving the bottom of her face unprotected. That wasn't an issue though since she would simply hug her head down to her chest in any trouble anyway, so leaving her motion in her jaw was more important than covering it with a metal shield.

Lexa was careful putting Wulf's final piece of armour on her head, doing the straps up gently but firmly and noting happily that she looked perfectly terrifying. Almost six and a half feet of pure, white wolf, cloaked only in a metal frame and tanned leather, as if her skin wasn't already tough enough. The spikes were a nice touch, just in case there was any doubt that she could rip a man apart.

The Commander and Wulf, together, left the tent in a truly chilling display of dominance. Had anyone else simply left a tent it would look like nothing more than that, but these two, together, it was most definitely a show of power. They were showing their faces, united, to their army, to Camp Jaha and to Finn if he was nearby.

 _"Wulf."_ Lexa, getting the wolf's already undivided attention, was clearly ready for whatever may come. _"Escort Clarke up here. I am tired of waiting."_

Wulf, ever faithful, bowed her head slightly before taking off. There was no haste in her walk though, just as she knew Lexa wouldn't want there to be. They wouldn't come off as desperate, no, but instead as calm. They were calm for all the Sky People. The lack of Finn didn't seem to scare them, so they were calm. They were calm and collected.

Wulf was the very vision of strength as she marched down the trail that the warriors had carved out for her. She was muscle piled upon muscle, protected by armour that she was relatively sure even bullets would have a tough time with. She was there to be Lexa's face when the Commander needed to be elsewhere. Coming down here was potentially dangerous for Lexa, but for Wulf? She could sprint into the woods and lick her wounds if it came to that, but Lexa couldn't, not without being shot. This was strategic and she knew it. It was a good plan.

In their walls, the Sky People looked rightfully scared. Many parents held their children behind them, as if that would save them from Wulf if she decided to kill any of them. She was tempted to snarl for good measure, but Clarke quickly appeared at the gates and pushed through to get to the white monster.

Looking down, the wolf regarded the human girl carefully. Something seemed off about her, but Wulf hadn't known the girl for long, so she shrugged it off and glanced meaningfully up the hill, silently ordering Clarke, ' _Walk, now._ '

Obediently, Clarke began to walk.

Wulf strode behind her, slowing occasionally when the blonde slipped slightly, all the way up the hill, past all the warriors all the way to Lexa. The blonde was visibly changed by seeing _Heda_ rather than Lexa. The difference, more often than not, was the paint. Wulf never knew why, but it always seemed to shake people.

"I trust that you have come to a decision?"

Clarke seemed to wake somewhat from her own mind as Lexa spoke. Wulf watched with a close eye as the blonde opened her mouth, closed it and opened it again, looking lost for a second. Wulf watched the panic set in her eyes only for them all to suddenly turn as look as _he_ was dragged from the bushes and trees less than ten feet away. Finn.

He was lead quickly and roughly despite the dark that had long since swallowed them all, he even tripped a few times, but no one was too inclined to help him out.

Wulf watched Clarke as she watched Lexa's warriors tie him to the huge post that they had erected just for this. Watching her, Wulf could see the range of emotions pass through the blue eyes and she began to wonder what exactly Clarke was feeling in that moment. Agony, of course, but what more? Hatred for Lexa probably. She was sure there must have been more though. What shocked the wolf though, was when Clarke cried. She openly allowed tears to wet her face, letting them run for a moment as she looked over at the boy whose heart was beating faster than any warm drum.

"Can I please say goodbye?" Clarke's voice never once broke, but the pain was clearly there.

Lexa, for a moment, said nothing. Then, as if she had worked everything out that she needed to know, she nodded. "One minute." She stated, unapologetic in her short amount of time. Immediately, Clarke all but ran over to Finn and pressed herself against him, hugging him as best she could.

From then, Wulf didn't watch. She didn't need to. She didn't want to.

To her, this wasn't justice enough. She wanted more than just his one life, but she knew that Lexa had made the right call. To demand more than one would have been foolish, especially since no one else had pulled a trigger that day. She didn't need to see Clarke crying and telling him that everything would be alright.

Then, just as their minute was coming to an end, something was wrong. Wulf couldn't out a finger on it and snapped her head up, confused. She looked around desperately, trying not to look panicked as she surveyed their surroundings. Nothing out of the ordinary. What was it, then?

Oh.

Blood.

She could smell blood, fresh and warm. Quite frankly, it made her hungry.

Only when she finally looked at Clarke did she understand, but by then it was too late. Finn's head had dropped onto the blonde's shoulder as they had shared a final embrace, Clarke had stepped away to reveal her own hand caked in blood and his stomach revealing itself in a similar manner. She had killed him.

Snarling, Wulf began to march towards the terrified young girl, only to stop at Lexa's shout. _"Blood has answered blood."_ She didn't sound too impressed, but she was right. He was dead now, all Wulf could do was tear up his body for the Sky People to see, but if Lexa wanted peace then Wulf would do her very best to maintain that peace. She snarled one last time in Clarke's general direction before slowly backing up until she felt Lexa's hand on her hide.

.

.

.

.

.

Panting, she rolled onto her front and noted mentally that a rock or something had scraped the hell out of her ass over the past hour or so. She really should have been more careful. With a sigh, she grabbed the boxer shorts from the small cloth bag that lay only a few feet away, also finding a t-shirt and some shorts in there, too. She took the shirt and flung the shorts at the man beside her.

He was still lying on the ground with a grin on his face and lust in his eyes.

She ignored his expression, dressing herself in his clothes and standing. She looked down at herself and noted that she looked ridiculous.

Chuckling, he sat up and took a second to admire her. "You know, if you don't like my clothes, maybe you should've brought your own." His voice was still laced with sex, running over her with its deep, desperate tones.

 _"Shut up."_ He didn't know her language completely, but he knew enough to speak with the pack and get by.

"So, an army, huh?" He pulled the remaining shorts up his legs before standing and striding over to where she was looking off into the woods. Gently but firmly, he wrapped his arms around her middle and dragged her backwards into his embrace. "Are you going to war?"

Sighing, she closed her eyes and _felt_ him behind her. She leaned back into him and rested her head on his strong chest, feeling the beating of his heart and the filling of his lungs. _"We can't keep doing this."_ She could already feel the guilt leaking into her bones. _"You need to get back to the pack. I need to leave, if Lexa keep waking without me she'll get suspicious."_

"I know that you think speaking at me in your language will confuse me or something, but, River, I-"

"Do **not** call me that!" Her voice, this time, came out sharp. She spun in his arms and pushed herself away from his chest, missing the warmth immediately.

Chuckling humorlessly, he threw a hand into the air. "Here we go." He grumbled. "You know that there's more to you than this wolf, right? Or maybe you don't, maybe you've been trotting around on all fours for so long that you don't even remember who you are anymore. Well I do! I remember the frightened girl who-"

"Enough!" She boomed, anger filling her veins.

To signify the end of their conversation, she phased on the spot, shredding his clothes and snarling at him. Of course, he wasn't afraid, he was larger and stronger than she was, so if he chose to retaliate then she honestly didn't stand a huge chance, but she had to show him. Show him that she wasn't playing.

"Really?" He snapped. "You couldn't have spared my clothes? Fine, whatever. Run off back to Lexa. Play the obedient little pup, pretend that you don't care. I know you do, I know that it eats you up inside every damn time you want to talk to her and can't. If you just show her then- River!"

She's already started running.

She didn't care what he said, she didn't need him. She ran all the way back to camp, not slowing until she was quite literally skidding into the flaps on Lexa's tent, her nose just poking through.

Only, she noticed too late that he must have decided to follow her.

* * *

 **I've tried to stay on top of this so I don't leave it unfinished like usual, but I must admit that I'm catching up to myself. I'm writing as quickly as I can, but the wait between chapters might begin to stretch soon. I'd say I can promise another three or four before Christmas, so that's not too bad I don't think.**

 **As always, feel free to message me, tell me what you think etc, but most of all just enjoy and have a great day!**


	9. Chapter 9

**So, this isn't a long chapter (it's either the shortest or one of the shortest) but I hope it's enjoyed all the same!**

* * *

Spinning, Wulf turned just in time to sink her teeth into the black wolf's leg, dragging him harshly as she backed up. He stumbled and bit into the side of her neck, growling hard enough that she could feel it through his jaw.

Just as he began to fall, she pushed herself upward and used all the power in her hind legs to shove, pushing him onto his back in the hopes of landing in a dominant position.

Around them, the Sky People and Lexa's people had gathered. A few of them had tried to notch arrows only for Wulf to snarl at them whilst still fighting. They all realised quickly that this fight wasn't going to end in death, this was a dispute between the two. Still, he was the first other wolf like Wulf they'd all seen, some had even thought that she was the only one.

Lexa watched on with worried eyes as Wulf's coat became tinted red, blood coming from each of the bites that the other wolf delivered. She considered lodging a spear in the black wolf's shoulder to give Wulf an edge, but when Wulf had the gall to growl at her for picking up her spear, she knew that she wasn't to get involved.

The snapping and snarling was almost unbearably loud, but Wulf never once gave in. She bit and scratched and dodged until finally they were somehow snarling at one another from about five or six feet apart. Both of them were in strong stances with their feet firmly plants, their enormous teeth on show and sounds coming from their mouths that would frighten a Reaper.

They made the most horrific noises at one another for at least another minute or two until finally the black wolf slowly but surely closed his mouth and simply regarded Wulf carefully across the small space. She continued a little longer before she grumpily closed her mouth, but she still let a grumble find its way from her chest every so often.

To Wulf's surprise, the other wolf then sat. He wasn't submitting, but he was proving that he no longer meant a threat. With a huff, she followed suit. She didn't sit, but she relaxed her posture a little.

 _"Wulf."_ Lexa's voice softened the white wolf further. _"Why don't you and your friend come inside?"_

Happily, the black wolf stood and began to head to Lexa's tent. A little too close for Wulf. She stood and snapped her teeth at him to tell him to back off, then followed Lexa inside.

It ruined _everything_ for her having him here. Would he reveal what they were? If he did, Lexa was sure to hate her. Lexa couldn't know, but it wasn't as if she could stop him, she could only hope that his being there had her interests at heart.

.

.

.

.

.

Nothing much had really been said in Lexa's tent, but the hour or so that they were in there gave the camp time to calm down. Lexa had told Wulf to clean herself up, but she had been unwilling to leave Lexa alone with the black wolf. So, Lexa had cleaned her with a cloth while Wulf stood protectively between them.

By the time they had all come back out, there seemed to have been some unspoken agreement set in place that stated that both Wulf and the black wolf would stand, united, behind Lexa. Wulf wasn't all too comfortable having him there and that close to Lexa, but it wasn't as if she could say anything, so she took it a minute at a time.

It was strange having him there. Not just because he could out her, but because their meetings were usually so secretive and full of desperate passion. But this? Well, this was an entirely new dynamic. They were together, but not alone.

Wulf really wasn't sure what she was feeling about the whole situation.

She could already feel her wounds beginning to stitch themselves back together and after chancing a quick glance across, she could see that his were, too.

In all of her thinking, she began to wonder how long he would stay. Would he tell her when he was going, or would she just turn around missing him? She knew that he wouldn't stay overnight, he would never leave the pack that long, but perhaps she'd nod off and wake to the lack of him? She didn't want that, but it wasn't as if she could just go with him and abandon Lexa. No, Lexa meant too much to her.

Despite the pain in her chest, she wasn't angry at him. If she wasn't willing to leave Lexa, then he shouldn't be willing to leave the pack. She didn't expect it of him, but that just made him being there that much harder. Knowing that he would leave again after stepping into her world. It was almost too much.

However, as they day began to darken and night began to crawl across their camp, he made no move to go.

That night, when Lexa told Wulf that it was time to retire, there was a small but awkward silence where Lexa looked at the black wolf, then opened the curtain of her tent to him with a raised brow, inviting him in.

To give him his due, he seemed shocked right down to the core. Perhaps he hadn't realised how long he'd stayed, or maybe he hadn't expected kindness, but whatever it was, he was grateful. That being said, he walked over to a shocked Wulf and licked her maw despite her growl. It wasn't a threatening growl and they both knew it, she simply wasn't sure what the hell was going on.

Two licks later, he stepped closer again and gently nuzzled her neck. He closed his eyes and lay his head against her chest for a moment until he finally felt her do the same. When they stepped closer together, the bottom of their jaws came together, wrapping them in a warm embrace that Wulf was first to break, embarrassed in front of Lexa for the first time. He looked back at her with understanding eyes though.

He had declined Lexa's offer, so was this it? Was that his goodbye?

To Wulf's amazement, he turned away from her and lay just beside the door of Lexa's tent. He slumped heavily and lay his head contently down on his paws before sighing softly and closing his eyes.

Through the whole thing, Lexa had simply watched on with a slight smirk on her mouth. not a cocky smirk, but one that knew that this wolf, whoever he was, was special, especially to Wulf.

Wulf, seemingly in a daze, followed Lexa inside and climbed up onto her bed without waiting for the Commander.

 _"He seems nice."_ Lexa teased, smiling ever so slightly when Wulf grumbled like a teenager. _"Is he why you sneak off in the night and come back covered in all kinds of stinks and dirt?"_

Embarrassed, Wulf didn't make a sound and simply released a huge fake yawn before dropping her head onto her paws in the same way that he had outside and closing her eyes. Of course, he was the reason that Wulf wandered off in the night and came back covered in everything they'd rolled around in, but she didn't enjoy Lexa knowing that.

Lexa fell asleep quickly that night, but Wulf simply couldn't. She couldn't close her eyes or tear them away from the tent flaps. When they blew just right in the wind, she could just see one of him back legs stretched out. She wondered if he was sleeping, but she didn't want to check. She couldn't risk waking both him and Lexa.

Or... could she?

With a quiet but high whine, she answered that question herself.

God, was she really so desperate? Well... yes.

Thankfully, he seemed to shuffle for a moment before popping his head through the flaps and tilting it in confusion.

Unashamed, she looked meaningfully down at the spot beside Lexa's bed where there was more than enough room for him on the floor. When she looked back at him, she saw a glint of laughter in his eyes. Had he been waiting for her to cave and call him in? Surely not, it wasn't as if they were going to have sex in Lexa's tent, especially not in their wolves' bodies. Perhaps he just knew how much her body craved him.

Whatever it was, he trod heavily over to the space on the floor before lying down with a deep sigh and looking ever so slightly up at where Wulf was on the bed. She was lying with her back to him since that's how Lexa had fallen asleep with her, but he didn't seem to mind. Wulf managed to gently shuffle almost all the way round so that she could lie with her front paws and head just off the bed, pleasantly surprised when he gently pushed his own head under hers, supporting it and letting her gently drift away above him.

.

.

.

.

.

When Wulf woke in the early hours of the morning as she always did, she was more that surprised to find that only her back legs and hips were still on the bed with Lexa and that her entire front half was on the floor, curled up in the black wolf's body.

He was still there!

Already awake, he looked at her with what only could have been a smile.

Gently, he rose and stretched, cracking a few joints before looking down at her with a content sigh.

It took only another fifteen minutes before he left, but those fifteen minutes were spent with the two of them lying on the floor together, wrapped up in one another as much as their forms would allow.

Wulf wondered, was this what love felt like? She knew that she loved Lexa, but that was so different. Was she finally _in_ love?

Watching him as he jogged off into the woods, she knew that she was. Perhaps that was why everything between them was so hard. However, she knew that she wouldn't see him again for quite some time, so she decided that every ounce of her energy would go into defeating the Mountain. She would keep Lexa safe and survive herself on the off chance that she would see him again. They could roam freely together once the Mountain was out of the way.

She just hoped he didn't care what happened to his old home.

* * *

 **I know that things aren't the same as the first few chapters but I'm trying to bring things together as well as I can. I'm not too sure how religiously I'll follow the show when it comes to deaths and a few plots (for example, I didn't enjoy the whole A.L.I.E. thing but I can see that it could be interesting) so just hang in there and I'll try my best!**

 **As always, please keep me updated on thoughts etc, but just enjoy!**


	10. Chapter 10

**I was a little worried that I wasn't going to live up to my promise of about three chapters before Christmas, but here we are! First of all, thank you so much to the two of you who reviewed last chapter, you put a real, true smile on my face. Secondly, thank you to everyone out there who's on this journey with me, as I'm uploading this now, we're only 23 people away from having had 2,000 readers! That might not sound like a lot to some, but for me to have almost two thousand people seeing and (hopefully) enjoying my little egg that I let out of the nest is just incredible, so thank you all for giving me and it a chance.  
**  
 **Enjoy!**

* * *

In the days that passed, Wulf was right, she didn't see the black wolf again. She kept her head down and served Lexa as best she could. She watched from the sidelines as Lexa's eyes began to change more and more when she was around Clarke of the Sky People, then she waited patiently in Ton DC when Lexa told her with tearful eyes that she needed to find cover within the town.

Wulf had heard what Clarke had said and she knew that her large frame would be seen far too easily. The Mountain Men would know that Lexa was leaving if they saw her leave, but what was she to do, die? No, but she very nearly did.

Something Wulf changed that day. She knew that Lexa would always put the coalition first, that was their way, but since when was she putting Clarke first?

Lexa had been willing to let Wulf get blown to pieces rather than try to sneak her out. Not Clarke though. No, Clarke and Lexa had scurried off together and told no one. Wulf was sure that it hadn't occurred to Lexa that she would have heard them, but it hurt all the same. She didn't so much care that she'd been left, she could take care of herself, but the fact that Lexa had decided to leave her in the dark? Perhaps that was what did it.

After so many years by one another's side, Lexa had finally kept something from Wulf that she knew could cost the beast her life.

Wulf was mad.

It was when the flare when up in the sky that Wulf burst into Lexa's tent to see her and Clarke. Kissing. They broke apart awkwardly and Clarke stated that she wasn't ready for anyone yet. Wulf watched as Lexa's face fell. You'd have missed it if you didn't know her, but Wulf did.

That whole thing just made her more mad. At Lexa. At Clarke. At the black wolf even.

When the time finally came to go to war with the Mountain, Wulf allowed Lexa to help her into her armour, but that was it. She would protect her at all costs and keep her as safe as she could, but something in her just wanted to kill, and not for Lexa.

During the first few waves of soldiers that came, Wulf directly disobeyed Lexa and lurched right into the fight, dragging Mountain Men from their fights and smashing their bodies against rocks and trees like fine china dropped on a floor.

Eventually, it came to getting to the huge door that they intended to crack open. Opening it would require a huge scale cut of Mount Weather's power, meaning that the door automatically unlocked itself. All they had to do was pull the sucker open. That, of course, was easier said than done.

During the whole thing, Lexa _ordered_ Wulf to follow as she and a small team rounded the Mountain.

Together, she and Lexa finally worked as a team to take down as many soldiers as they could until finally they came face to face with an open door. Open? Wulf didn't like that.

On the ground lay a white flag with the words "DON'T SHOOT" painted scruffily on it. Lexa ordered them all to be on guard.

It was in those next minutes that Lexa made a deal with the devil.

Wulf, for the first time, couldn't believe what she had seen or heard.

Lexa had left her in Ton DC, knowing that she could die, but this? This was so much worse. This time, Lexa was leaving Clarke. More specifically, Lexa was accepting her own soldiers back with the understanding that Clarke's people would remain in the Mountain. They would be butchered and harvested in the same way her own people had for so many years. This wasn't the Lexa that Wulf knew. This wasn't the girl who she had sworn her life to. This wasn't the woman who she wanted to follow.

So she didn't.

The look on Clarke's face stayed in her mind, so when they were less than a mile away, Wulf shook her head and stopped walking. Lexa didn't notice for a minute, but when she finally turned, Wulf saw all she needed to see. Lexa hated this decision as much as she did, but she wanted her people safe.

For the first time, Wulf felt sick to her stomach because of Lexa.

She turned without even a second thought and ran.

She sprinted all the way back up the hill to where Clarke and the others were desperately heaving the door open wider to fit more people through.

Wulf, with her enormous muscle mass, bombed over, knocking people over but wedging herself in the door. With a might shove and a snarl so loud and deep that it may have shaken the very Mountain itself, she forced the door open and wasted no time at all in storming in.

At some point through it all, she found Clarke right there beside her in the thick of it all, but when the soldiers at the door finally ran out, even Wulf was surprised to find herself looking to the blonde for instructions. "Wulf," Clarke panted, a cut beside her temple that was caused by a hard fall producing more blood than Wulf would have liked to see. "I need- Wait, did Lexa come with you?"

Sadly, Wulf shook her head. She had almost been expecting to see Lexa storm through the doors while they were fighting, but no.

Other than Wulf and Lincoln, everyone associated with Lexa had followed her when she left. The numbers were hardly in their odds now, but they had to try.

When the time finally came to radiate the entire place, Wulf felt the most enormous sense of pride when a torn up, bloodied Lexa slipped through the door to the control room, slamming it shut and forcing her sword through the handle to keep it shut. She quickly then pulled a second sword from her belt, snarling at the door in a way that made Wulf proud.

"Lexa." Clarke breathed the woman's name out like a prayer, seemingly unaware of everyone else in the room.

Clarke, Wulf, Lexa, Bellamy, Jasper, Monty and Maya were all there.

Lexa, to give her some credit, reached out to Wulf and took the animal's face in both of her bloody hands. _"Thank you, my friend."_ Her voice was firm, just as always during a fight, but Wulf knew that the thanks was sincere.

Then, filling Wulf's heart with joy, Lexa turned and stormed over to Clarke. The blonde had barely squeaked out her anger at the Commander before Lexa was grabbing her waist and pulling her into a bruising kiss. They ignored the world together for just a second, then when they pulled apart they were both all business again.

Wulf's chest felt warm and, for the first time in a long time, she wondered if maybe Clarke would peel back those layers of Lexa's that had so carefully been crafted after Costia's death. Would Clarke make Lexa happy? Would she make Lexa smile and giggle? Would she let Wulf sleep at the foot of the bed?

Clarke explained the situation to Lexa and everyone watched as Lexa eyes the lever that could open the Mountain like an egg, then as she looked over at where Jasper was standing somewhat protectively in front of Maya. As if his body would stop the radiated air from getting to her. "If we just hold off a little longer, we can give her the treatment." He reasoned weakly.

Scoffing, Lexa shook her head. "On my way here, I saw how thy perform this _treatment_. These people have been drilling into your friends' bones-"

"I know what they do!" Jasper snapped shortly, earning a snarl from Wulf. "I-I'll give her my bone marrow. I'm not asking for anyone else's."

"We don't have time." Monty's voice was quiet. he had a guilty look on his face when he locked eyes with his best friend. "I don't want us to kill everyone, but we need to do whatever we're doing. Quickly. We don't have a lot of time before they're up here. They'll send their already cured soldiers and they'll have guns. Ammo. Full clips."

"We kill the Mountain." Lexa stated, no wiggle room in her eyes.

"We're not all monsters!" Maya yelled, desperation in her voice and tears running down her face.

Wulf thought about the black wolf. She wondered what he would do if he was here. Would he destroy what remained of his previous life? Would he kill the remaining members of his family? No, but that's why someone else had to. They didn't get to pick and choose who lived and, sadly, the majority in the Mountain didn't deserve redemption or a second chance. Leaving any of them alive would surely result in them harvesting people again once they were secure again and that wasn't an option.

Snarling, Wulf made her way over to the switch, placing her body between it and everyone. "What the hell is that mutt doing?" Jasper's voice was as desperate as Maya's. They were so clearly in love, but Wulf honestly didn't care.

The air in the room was tense. Anyone who moved would be going for the switch.

"We find her a Hazmat." Clarke reasoned. "If we can get her back to Camp Jaha then we can get her into the same airlock we held Emerson in. We could even do the surgery if you really mean it, Jasper."

"You mean it?"

Nodding, the blonde stepped closer to Wulf. Wulf allowed it and even made a little room by the switch. "I mean it, just be quick. There has to be a couple in this room, right? Find her one, find a patch kit and some tanks."

Jasper was scurrying around before Clarke had even finished.

The noise outside the door became greater as the soldiers got closer and grew in number.

"Find it!" Lexa bellowed. "Wulf, are you ready for a fight?"

Of course she was.

Together, the Commander and her Wulf stormed outside, swords and teeth ready. They moved so fluidly, no one stood a chance. Lexa was sliding away from attacks under Wulf, Wulf was leaping over Lexa to crush attackers and between them they had cleared over twenty men before they next stepped back into the control room. Lexa had been shot, but thankfully her armour had caught the bullet before it broke the skin. Wulf, to protect Lexa, had taken many bullets, only two of which hadn't been stopped by her armour. Luckily, one had one through her ear and the other had gone all the way through one of her legs. They hurt, but neither would kill or disable her.

"We do not have much time." Lexa growled into the room, clearly in pain. "A decision needs to be made."

Soon enough, the army was built back up. Fists banged at doors, shots fired through the walls and before long, a decision was made.

Alas, Wulf made her decision alone.

With no second to wait and think, she lurched forward and took the leaver in her mouth, yanking it. The room stopped. It was as if no one could believe that she'd actually done it. Just when she thought they would turn on her though, Lexa took off her belt and used it to tie the leaver down, nodding to Wulf with a grim expression on her face. The wolf had done what they all knew they needed to.

Jasper and Maya, luckily, just found a suit when the walls began to creak. It had been so long since the airlocks had been opened, they took some time to move, but it was clear that they had opened when the hallway was filled with screams and gargling death.

"It's okay." Jasper was saying to Maya as her skin began to blister and she began to cry. "Just turn on the oxygen. You're safe now. You're in the suit and- just don't worry, okay?"

"Jasper." She sobbed, blood spilling from her pores.

However, her skin only got worse, even after the oxygen was pumped in.

"Maya." Jasper breathed, confusion and panic in his eyes. "Maya!" He cried when, finally, they found the small rip in the leg of the suit. He was quick to tape it up, sure that she would make it.

What he didn't know, though, was that Wulf had excellent hearing. There was one less heartbeat in the room as the girl's body went slack in her lover's arms. Then a heart broke, almost audible through his gut wrenching sobs and cries. Maya, along with the rest of the Mountain, was dead.

Wulf felt no remorse for what she had done. She was sad that the boy and the girl would not live happily, but she did what she had to do. She wouldn't lose sleep over it. She hoped.

Later that night, when the Mountain had long since been cleared of life, they celebrated. Wulf and everyone who had been in that room, however, didn't seem like they wanted celebration.

To Wulf's surprise, the black wolf appeared later on. Just by looking at him, she knew that he knew what she'd done. She left Lexa's side without a sound and followed him into the woods, expecting him to scream at her, attack her, maybe try to kill her, but when they took their human forms, he simply held his arms out to her and let her rush into them. She hadn't know just how much weight had been on her shoulders until she finally sobbed, letting her body shake against his as her tears spilled down his chest.

She apologised so many times and told him everything. She said that she knew that his family was in there, she couldn't let him think that she hadn't known.

To her surprise, he simply smiled sadly and kiss her forehead. Once dressed, they lay in the middle of a small meadow and looked up at the stars. For that one night, they weren't wolves or warriors, they weren't star-crossed lovers, Trikru or Mountain Men, they were just young and in love. River and Abraham, how it was meant to be.

He told her all about his family. He told her that they weren't all good people, but he had hoped to see them before they'd died. Together, they cried themselves dry and swore that from then on, they would do more. More to bring their worlds together, more to live an honest life, more to just be happy.

For Wulf, that would start with telling Lexa exactly who she was. She wondered what she would say, would she want the wolf, or would she be wanting to catch up with the sister she thought she'd lost all those years ago.

There was only one way to find out.

* * *

 **Thoughts? Feelings? I feel like we came a little closer back to how the story started here, maybe found a middle ground between too much dialogue and too little dialogue? I hope it was all okay, obviously just tell me if anything isn't! I should have the next chapter up before Christmas if all goes well, if not though I'll try to drop it maybe on Christmas day, either way it will be soon.**

 **I'd love it if you guys would share your thoughts and feelings with me, especially about how the Mountain was handled, I wasn't sure of it even as I was writing but I knew that having Wulf would have to change things, even if that meant momentarily leaving Lexa, so fingers cross you all agreed!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Okay, so my lack of impulse control got to me again and I couldn't just not post this one since I had it sitting around, so here you go! I haven't even left anyone with time to read and digest the last chapter, but I genuinely couldn't help myself. I'm still loving every second of writing this but I will be honest and say that I have indeed hit a little wall. I'm working through it well enough but chapters might come a little slower for a while is all, so nothing terrible.**

 **Please please please just enjoy, hopefully I've made that relatively easy!**

 **I know that Wulf's reveal is something that's been waited for. Everyone#s curious as to reactions as such, so hopefully this will give you all a little insight!**

* * *

Wulf.

River.

She didn't even know who she was.

Where they one and the same? She knew that her human form made her different, being able to talk changed her, especially being able to answer questions.

"We don't have to do this right now, you know." Abraham, the black wolf, told her gently.

"I can't keep putting this off." She replied, looking into Polis from the gates. She and Lexa had returned almost a month ago, letting all of the army go to their respective homes and see their families again. The dead were honoured and burned and the Mountain was said to be strictly off-limits.

This was the fourth time that she'd found herself stood at the gates of Polis in her human form, dressed and ready to tell Lexa. Alas, each time she had then sprinted back into the woods and shredded her clothes to get back into her own skin. Being Wulf felt right, but being River? She hadn't been River for so long. Her skin felt too tight, she had no fur or sharp teeth, no claws. She felt helpless.

It was strange to think that she had been so close to Lexa for so many years and had never feared her, but now, this feeling that lay in the bottom of her gut. Well, she was terrified to put it simply. "You go first." She blurted, turning to look at Abraham.

Smirking, he simply chuckled and shook his head. He had always been so handsome. "No, that's not how this works and you know it. She doesn't even know me. I'm just the wolf who comes to see you."

Sighing, River closed her eyes a tried with all her might to squash the fear in her belly. It was stupid, she _never_ felt fear. She was a warrior, dammit!

Alas, she was still scared.

"She'll hate me." She grumbled, taking a step into Polis, making sure to pull her hood to cover her eyes. It wasn't as if anyone would recognise her, but she still feared that somehow she would give herself away with her eyes. "Can't you be the one to turn? Come with me as a wolf... please?"

Abraham must have heard something in her voice, because a second later he was jogging off into the woods. River waited for a moment, but then found herself moving. She wasn't too sure where she was going, not really, not until she found herself at a vendor's stall.

The same stall that she used to buy eggs from with Lexa each morning. _"How much?"_ She asked the woman behind the stall, clearly startling her.

 _"How many?"_ Their people were, as always, short when it came to speaking. No interaction would last longer than it had to, not unless you were friends.

Thinking, River shrugged for a moment. _"A dozen. For Heda."_

Scoffing, the woman shook her head. _"You think that I will give you free eggs if you say they are for Heda?"_

 _"No. I will pay, but I have no money, only things to trade."_

 _"Fine, and what do you have?"_

 _"What will a rabbit get me?"_

 _"Just one?"_

 _"For now."_

 _"One rabbit. Eh, four eggs."_

 _"A good thing I have three, then."_

 _"A good thing, indeed."_

River had four rabbits in her cloak, hanging from ropes that lay across her shoulders. She knew the ways of Polis, but Abraham did not. Just as she was handing them over though, he appeared. She felt his breath first, a heavy cloud on the back of her neck, then she saw the vendor shrink a little. The people of Polis were used to Wulf, but not to him.

 _"They are really for Heda?"_ The woman asked, clearly making the connection between Abraham and Wulf. River nodded. _"The white wolf. Is she okay? She used to come for the eggs, but now you have come, and with him no less."_

 _"The white wolf is fine. Busy with errands."_ Technically it wasn't a lie.

Nodding, the vendor handed River the eggs in a small basket and refused the rabbits. _"You tell Heda that eggs will always be free to her, be it a dozen or more. Always. And tell that wolf to come and see me again when she returns, always with a wagging tail."_

River nodded her thanks. She couldn't help but smile beneath her hood at that as she laid the dangling rabbits over Abraham's neck and carried the basket herself. Together, they approached Lexa's tower and the guard made quick work of opening the door for them as soon as he saw Abraham. Wolves of such size demanded respect and the guards knew that. Plus, there was no reason for a wolf like that to be there if not to see Wulf or Lexa.

Just to be safe, River removed her hood but pulled her scarf up to just below her eyes. A large hood was more threatening than just a covered mouth.

As they walked, she found that breathing became more and more difficult until they reached the throne room and the doors swung open. Then, as if her muscles just knew what to do, she walked astride Abraham and found herself bowing her head. Part of her felt as if she should just stand beside Lexa's throne as she always did, but this was different.

 _"My wolf has brought you to me."_ Lexa stated, her voice setting more fear in Wulf's stomach. No, River's. She had to remember that she wasn't Wulf right now. _"Do you know why that may be?"_ She almost smiled at hearing Lexa call Abraham _her_ wolf. It was an intimidation tactic, of course, but she hardly needed it.

Breathing impossibly quickly, River couldn't so much as open her mouth to get words out.

Gently, Abraham nudged her with his nose, but she didn't dare look up into his eyes for fear that she would see her own cowardice in them. She was sure that Lexa was confused, but she just _couldn't_ do it. She couldn't tell her who she was, not yet. She couldn't handle the anger that she was sure would come, nor could she handle the sadness that would follow if Lexa banished her.

Abraham, sadly, still had just one thing on his mind: the plan.

Just as Lexa harshly commanded _"Show me your face, now!"_ Abraham changed. At least six and a half feet tall and entirely naked, he was hard to miss.

Silence fell upon the room and River felt her stomach drop. Even if she didn't let Lexa see her, there would be questions the next time they saw one another. "If I may, Heda," Abraham started, cupping his privates in his hands since River hadn't followed through and handed him anything else. "I know that this is quite a lot to take in, but Wulf-"

"Is stood before me now?" Lexa questioned, her voice so very quiet and unsure.

River froze. "She is." Abraham confirmed. "She-"

"Don't." River hissed quietly, turned her back on Lexa and putting herself between her and Abraham. She looked up at him, praying that he understood. "I can't." She croaked, watching as his eyes changed.

"Wulf..." Lexa's voice reached out, tugging at River's heart as it was breaking.

"I'm sorry." She stated loudly, praying that Lexa didn't recognise her voice. They'd never spoken this tongue to one another before and she hoped that was enough. "I just can't."

Without turning back, she began to walk, feeling the eyes of Lexa and Titus on the back of her head. "Just one moment, Heda." Abraham told her awkwardly. "If you just give me a minute, we'll be back. We'll answer your questions-"

"I won't." River vocalised, only then realising that she meant it. She couldn't come back.

She heard Lexa get up from her throne and begin to walk towards her. She sped up and left the room, feeling Abraham fill his wolf's body once more, trotting beside her with a concerned look on his face as he whined lowly. "I just can't." River snapped, knowing that he was wondering why she couldn't do it when they were so close.

"Lexa, you and I should- ooph!" Clarke smacked into River as they rounded a corner. "I'm so sorry, I saw the wolf shadow, I thought you were Lexa- oh! Your eyes, they're so-"

River began to run, then finally the wolf tore through and she knew that Clarke had seen. What could she do but run?

Panicked, the heard the eggs crack on the floor behind her as the basket fell to the ground and the clothes that she had been wearing lay scattered in a heap. None of the guards looked shocked to see Wulf, nor Abraham, so they passed quickly through the gates, though attitudes changed when Lexa, sat atop a horse, came galloping toward them, shouting. _"Do not let them pass! Close the gate!"_

Alas, it was too late.

Abraham shot through first and Wulf followed, barging one of the gates with her shoulder to stop it from closing on her. The barbed length scraped her painfully, but there was no time for stopping, not now, not when she was so close to getting away.

 _"Wulf!"_ Lexa's cry lit the air and followed the wolves into the woods outside of Polis.

River. Wulf. Whoever she was, she ran. She ran, not caring if Abraham was following her, until finally she found herself skidding to a stop outside a cave, then gently padding into it. She didn't know if she'd been running for minutes or hours, she was numb to the aches of her body, even the throbbing in her shoulder meant nothing to her.

Her breathing was heavy and ragged, coming out in huge clouds until Abraham walked through one in his human form. Naked. "River." His voice was so very gentle, more so than she deserved. However, it was all she needed to hear. Sobbing and heaving for each breath, she suddenly stood on two feet, her human body falling into his as she cried away what she had done.

She cried until she could cry no more, then Abraham started a fire, kissed her head and told her to wait. She waited, feeling too weak to move with all the grief that racked her body. She could never go back to Lexa, not after defying an order. No one would show kindness to the white wolf, not anymore, so what was she to do? She couldn't live in pack like Abraham, not now she knew how well she could live. If only she hadn't gone and ruined it.

A half hour later, Abraham returned with bundles of clothes blankets. They could hunt for any food, though he somehow still had the four rabbits in the mouth of the cave. It took him a few minutes to fish around outside for some dry firewood, but once he had, he built a fire and dressed them both, keeping them warm as they eventually fell asleep.

That night, River dreamed of a white wolf. It was her, that much she knew, but she watched it somehow from the crowd in Polis as the wolf stepped up to the executioner's block, as it laid down its head, then finally as Lexa stood, walked over and took its head with one brutal swing of a mighty axe.

.

.

.

.

.

 _"Find her!"_ Lexa snapped at her guards. _"Find anyone who she came into contact with. She had a basket, what was in it? She came with the black wolf, who saw them together? Just find her!"_

One of the many guards in the throne room turned to Lexa, looking somewhat afraid of the angry, pacing woman before he spoke. _"Commander, what do we do when we find her?"_

 _"Do we shoot?"_ Another asked, a seasoned warrior but still nervous around such a force as Lexa.

Lexa, despite her anger and confusion, shook her head. She didn't want them to kill Wulf. Not even to hurt her. She wanted to understand, nothing more. _"No. No, don't hurt her. Tell her... tell her to come home."_ She replied, thinking about the white fur, wondering if she would ever see it again.

As a few guards left the room, Clarke entered it. "Lexa-"

Sighing, Lexa stopped her by raising her hand. She knew that it was rude, but she had to find Wulf. "Not now, _Klark_. My wolf-"

"I saw her." Clarke interrupted.

Lexa's eyes snapped up and she stormed towards the blonde, searching her eyes for truth. "You what?" She snarled, daring the blonde to be lying.

Taken aback by the Commander's attitude, Clarke stumbled back a step before clearing her throat and repeating herself. "I... I saw her. Her face. Her eyes." She would never forget those eyes. So very like Lexa's.

"Her human face?" Lexa was desperate for an answer.

Nodding firmly, the blonde replied. "Yes."

 _"Everyone else, out."_ Lexa's orders were, of course, followed. "Who was she?" She demanded, turning back to Clarke.

Looking a little sheepish, Clarke gently shook her head. She didn't know this woman. "I don't know. I hadn't seen her before, but her eyes, they were green and- I can draw her for you if you have some charcoal and paper?"

Lexa's eyes lit up for a moment and she nodded, taking Clarke's hand without a though and pulling her for a few steps as if to prompt her to walk. "Please. Come, I have some in my room."

Together, the two young women climbed the stairs to Lexa's room, passing a somewhat healed Anya on the way who was talking with Indra and Gustus. Lexa paid them no mind, she simply needed to see what Clarke had seen.

For almost an hour, Lexa sat as patiently as she could and waited while Clarke recreated the very face that had bumped into her only a few hours ago. As soon as she saw it, Lexa knew exactly where to look. She knew who she was looking at despite the years that had passed, she knew exactly where he sister would go. Or, she hoped that she did.

Barely ten minutes had passed before she was mounting her horse, not caring that Clarke was doing the same. The whole population of Polis could have followed her and she wouldn't have cared. No, she needed to see her sister with her own eyes. She needed to see that she wasn't dead, not torn apart by wolves. She needed to know that her wolf was okay, that her sister was okay, that they were one and the same.

She rode hard through the woods, silently impressed that Clarke kept up, then finally she dismounted when the cave came into sight. She hadn't known how thankful she was to have Clarke there until the blonde took her had when a black wolf emerged from the cave, already looking at them. He must have heard them coming long before they'd even been able to see where they were going.

Lexa thought back all those years to the time before she was Commander. She remembered how a wolf, white as ash, had saved her from a panther. She had trusted the animal immediately, but only now did she know why. All those years that she had been sure she _knew_ the wolf's eyes, she had been right.

* * *

 **So, how was it? I hope it was all okay, I pondered for quite a while how exactly I would reveal Wulf to Lexa and honestly I couldn't find a good way because one way or another I could never give River the reason to do it, especially while things with the coalition are so shaky, I didn't want her to just do it selfishly, but obviously I still wanted her to have human faults and to be relateable etc, everyone has their vices and falls, it just so happens that River's/Wulf's is that she cares too deeply about Lexa's opinion.**

 **As I said, hopefully it was all okay! As always, please tell me what you think, tell me if there's anything/anyone you want more of, any characters you want to have scenes together, I'll always do what I can to throw people together if that's what's wanted, especially if it works with my existing dynamics! Never be afraid to message me of course, too, whether it's questions about this story or just anything, I'll always help if I can.**


	12. Chapter 12

**I'm dedicating this chapter to the absolutely adoring fan of my work who reviewed it as a guest, saying nothing but "** Boring. No one gives a fuck about your stupid OC wolf. Fucking dumb fuck." **and honestly it's opened my eyes a little. The worst thing that I thought could happen was that someone didn't like my story, but this absolute hero made it all the way to the eleventh chapter before manning up and giving me a piece of his mind, anonymously, on Christmas morning, so well done, champ! This entire chapter is about both of my "stupid OC wolves", so I'm sure you'll adore it!**

 **On a more serious note though, Merry Christmas to all, I'm going to keep writing for as long as I'm enjoying it regardless of what the aforementioned genius thinks, so thank you all to everyone out there who actually is enjoying this. An equally large thank you to anyone who isn't enjoying but didn't feel the need to review like an angry toddler. Merry Christmas, all!**

* * *

 _Barely used to her new body, River stood on all fours and stumbled. Some of the older wolves rolled their eyes, clearly wondering why she wasn't a proficient wolf yet. The reason, River knew, was that she spent all her alone time in her human form. She couldn't get used to being a wolf._

 _It was hard enough learning that she wasn't herself anymore, but the fact that she was expected to suddenly be a part of their pack? It made no sense to her. When she voiced this and stated that they followed Heda though, she got the beating of her life and never said it again. She may have been new, but she wasn't stupid._

 _A blush covered her skin when she fell again, this time to be helped up by one of the boys. She didn't know his name, she barely spoke his language and he spoke none of hers, but all she knew was that he was kind and very handsome._

 _Her life until that point had been nothing but training to be part of Heda's army, she had never considered anything more, but there she was, bound to a pack of wolves, crushing on a boy born in the Mountain and unable to stand on her own, let alone fight. He said something to her, seeming encouraging, but she didn't understand a word. She was so wrapped up in not falling again while he was near that she had no brain power left for trying to understand the Mountain's language._

 _Despite him being kind, good-looking and a skilled wolf, the others were wary of him. It seemed that no one in the pack had been keen on the alpha's decision to turn the boy when he had found his way too close to their camp. Alas, three painful days later, he woke a wolf._

 _Unlike the others, River had been dragged kicking and screaming from her village by a rogue wolf. She was so far gone that they almost just let her die, but the alpha had seen her fight. He had seen how desperately and skilfully she defended her village with nothing but a training axe, so he made a decision. He force fed her his blood, gifted her with his bite, then guarded her as the turn ravaged her body for days._

 _The process was long and painful for all, but she survived and woke a wolf._

 _It took her almost a year to be able to walk, run and hunt in her new form, but the black wolf was there every second of the day for her. Initially, she had considered siding with the others since he came from the Mountain, but when he finally told her his story, she listened. He told her about how he had walked in on one of their scientists as he scrambled to pack his things. Afraid that the boy had seen too much, the scientist took him too and explained that the cost of living above ground was death. He knew that taking the boy would cost him his life, but he knew that letting him go would kill hundreds of Grounders. For some reason, the scientist valued their lives above the desire to be above ground, so he stole suits and got them both out._

 _The boy, Abraham, was scared. He tried multiple times to get away, but when his oxygen ran low, the scientist was the only one of the two who knew what to do. He had to stay with him for his own survival. That, however, only lasted a day or two until finally, something attacked. Wolves. They thought that it would be a poetic irony to turn them both and force them to live a life of torture, but the scientist died and the boy was simply happy to be alive, even if he was a large dog._

 _River and Abraham grew closer over the years, telling one another everything about their lives. River admitted that she missed Lexa and their parents more than she could handle, so one day, Abraham said that they should go and see her._

 _Watching her village from afar had brought River so much joy, she simply hadn't been able to stop. When their alpha finally died and the pack moved into the Wantri, River had a decision to make. Abraham was accepted fully into the pack, he was getting more attention from the females and had grown as a fighter. He didn't need her. That's what she told herself the night she ran away. She left him with a kiss, telling him that she was going for more firewood._

 _Time passed and before long, River stopped returning home for weeks at a time. Abraham was ready to give up all hope when, one night, she returned. They were both older then and he had never once hidden how he felt about her, nor had she about him, but this was goodbye. She sat with him by the fire and told him in no uncertain terms that she loved him, but Lexa was family. She had a duty to her sister, one which she refused to ignore, so he let her go. He watched her leave and made excuses to run into her while she was still near by, but eventually their contact was left down to other wolves sighting her, or occasionally he would catch a glimpse of white fur as it entered Polis._

 _Love was a powerful thing, so he kept his faith and told himself that he would never lose her again once they came together, because he had the most incredible feeling that they would. His hope never once left him. It, of course, faded and dimmed, then brightened as different challenges faced him and the pack, but he refused to give up. He, Abraham, was entirely in love with her, River, and would do anything in his power to keep her safe and loved._

* * *

 **This is the shortest chapter yet, so for that, I'm sorry. It comes to 994 words without all of this that I've written at the top and the bottom, but I should be updating again later, so I'm sure things will be fine. I have, however, officially caught up with myself, so after the next chapter, it'll be a case of simply posting as and when I finish the next chapters, so I apologise if that's something that takes me a while.**

 **Thank you for coming this far with me, Merry Christmas to you all!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Okay, so I'm posting this before anyone (my anonymous admirer) can tell me how much they hate my wolf, so apologies if that's what anyone's here to do, but you can still do that at the end of this chapter and I'll still keep writing so it's all good :)**

 **** **My Christmas gift to you all is this second chapter in a day. If you're lucky, I might write/finish the next one and post that, too, but I doubt it. As ever, thank you to all of you who have followed this strange road with me, I hope you're all having an amazing day and that whether you celebrate the Holidays or not, you're all okay and in good places, be it mentally or otherwise.**

* * *

When Abraham lead Lexa and Clarke into the cave, River was the first and only thing that Lexa noticed. The young woman had chosen to stay in that form, though she looked anything but comfortable, standing awkwardly in the corner, keeping the fire between them as a barrier of some sorts.

For a long moment, no one moved. River stayed on her side of the fire, the claw marks behind her reminding Lexa exactly what had happened all those years ago, Lexa, Clarke and Abraham remained on the other side of the fire, blocking the exit as if that could keep River there if she truly wanted to leave.

After a minute or two, Abraham broke the stony silence, moving and turning to Clarke with a clearing of his throat. "You and I can collect some firewood." He stated, though clearly what he meant was ' _let's give them some space_ '.

River wasn't sure if she felt more comfortable with them gone or not, all she knew was that she and Lexa were alone as Clarke followed Abraham out of the cave with a small, encouraging smile to Lexa. Then, the silence was back, devouring them both.

 _"I thought you were dead."_ Lexa's voice held no love, but River understood. That was her way.

Making the smallest nodding motion, River cleared her throat awkwardly and looked tentatively up from the fire to where Lexa was stood. _"For some time, I thought I was, too."_ She replied honestly, remembering the days of pain filled transitioning. The turn was never easy, not for anyone.

Almost as if she hadn't expected an answer, Lexa's face look taken aback hearing her sister's voice. Her mouth flapped open and closed as if words had just died in her throat. Then, as if taken by a storm, she held anger in her eyes. True anger. _"What are you?"_ She demanded, venom in her every word. _"Whatever you are, it must be truly evil. You watched for years as I suffered-"_

 _"I did everything I could to make things easier for you, Leksa. I killed your enemies, I-"_

 _"You abandoned me!"_

Abandoned? Was that really how she saw it? _"I never abandoned you. I-I gave everything up for you! I had a chance, a real chance, at being happy, but I gave it away for you! I've protected you, I followed you to Polis, I've followed you to war!"_

Now, somehow, they were both shouting. Yelling at one another over a fire, daring one another to step over it and throw fists.

 _"I never asked you to."_ Lexa snarled, as if that would lessen River's sacrifice. _"I needed a sister, not a pet."_

 _"Yeah? Well I needed to know that you were safe. You think that Titus would have let me follow you to Polis like this? Of course he wouldn't. I would have been cast aside because my blood wasn't dark enough."_

 _"I would have-"_

 _"Would have what? To love is to be weak, why else would you need a family member by your side? You needed Wulf, just admit it!"_

 _"Need? You think I ever needed you?"_

 _"You would have died in this very cave if not for me."_

 _"I could have killed that panther-"_

 _"You passed out. You couldn't have killed a mouse unless you fell on it."_

Just when River thought that perhaps Lexa would leap across the fire and stab her, the most unlikely thing happened. Lexa smiled. It wasn't huge and filled with glee, no, it was small, almost hidden, but it was there. Chuckling to herself, the Commander bowed her head in a small nod. _"I suppose I did."_ She grumbled, looking back up at her sister.

River was shocked when their eyes met, to see that the fire behind Lexa's was gone. Just gone. _"You went down like a rock."_ River teased, daring to take a small step around the side of the fire. Just one.

 _"You stayed with me, didn't you? You were gone when I woke, but-"_

 _"I did."_

Smiling and nodded, Lexa took a step around the fire. Still just one. _"I would have died that night if not for you."_

 _"I would have died many a time if not for you, Leksa."_

 _"You say that as if you have ever let me put myself between you and a threat."_

Chuckling with a sad smile, River shrugged. _"Not all threats are a physical attack."_ She stated, thinking about how very low she had been when she and Lexa had been apart. _"All of these years, not knowing my place, you've given me a reason to fight. You've given me a reason to live when I didn't know if I had one."_

 _"Wulf h- You helped me, too. After Costia... I..."_

 _"I know."_ River gritted her teeth, thinking back to the sweet young woman who was slain unjustly. _"Nothing stands between Nia and Polis now that the Mountain has fallen. She hunts wolves in the Wantri. The ones she catches and kills are the ones too young to get away."_

 _"What would you have me do? March to war for your wolves? People would think me mad. I would lose my throne and my life, the Coalition would fall. Skaikru would be unprotected-"_

 _"I know. Perhaps make the poaching of wolves a chargeable offence?"_

 _"Almost fifteen percent of the meat we eat in Polis comes from wolves."_

 _"We're easy to tell apart. Make the hunting of my kind illegal."_

Drawing in a breath, Lexa looked lost in thought for a moment. _"Your image is burned into my armour. You have been beside my throne for as long as I have sat atop it. We shall say that your kind are protected under the Coalition. Better yet, part of it?"_

River's eyes snapped up at that. _"Part of it?"_ She asked, confused. _"People would never accept animals as another party."_

 _"You're not animals. Not really."_

 _"And we're not human. Not really."_

"We're back." Clarke's voice cut the air a second before she and Abraham re-entered the cave. River was surprised she hadn't heard them coming, but she cleared her throat and stepped back all the same, noting that Clarke's cheeks were a violent red. They had probably been waiting to come in and Abraham would have noticed how cold she was. "Is everything alright?" Clarke then asked, looking to Lexa.

Lexa spared a glance towards River before nodding. "This will take some time to get used to, but yes, I do believe that things are fine here." Lexa's words calmed River a little, but not enough. "We were just discussing how the hunting of her kind should be a punishable act against the Coalition. Also, how her kind should join the very coalition she helped me to create. She would make a fine ambassador."

"The coalition?" Abraham's voice seemed thoroughly shocked. "This would stop the Ice Queen from hunting us?"

Sighing, River shook her head. "No." Her words, however, were for Lexa. "It would just mean that the next time a wolf shows up dead, we go to war over it. Nia's army is huge. Her assassins would come in the night. We would lose and she would take Lexa's throne-"

"We would not lose. We would have many more men than her, we would have guns, we would have wolves.-"

"If I may," Abraham started, cutting Lexa off with an apologetic look. "I understand that war is the desired result here and I would be honoured to fight along side you all, but why is it that one of my own must die for it? River was the first of us to prove that our kinds can coexist, but if I tell that to my people and then tell them that we need a sacrificial lamb... well, they won't like it."

The talks continued, but the group of four knew that things of such importance would not be sorted in a single afternoon, perhaps not even in a single week. Such matter needed more brainpower and much more time before a suggestion of note was to come. They all knew it, but that didn't make it any easier of a pill to swallow, especially for the two wolves who couldn't stop thinking about how many of their kind lay dead, skinned and defiled in the throne room of a woman mad with power.

River knew in her heart that this woman, Queen Nia, needed to die. She would happily give her life to take the retched one.

"Will you return with us?" Lexa asked almost two hours later as she and Clarke mounted their horses. "Whatever forms you wish to take, there are two spots adise my throne for the two of you."

Smiling, River shook her head. "Not yet. I think that I need some time to remember how to be out of the wolf's body before I know what I'm doing." Her answer was true, of course, but her plan was more than that. She wanted to see the pack, she needed to know that she would fit with them, especially if they were to become a clan in their own right. She and Abraham both knew that she was the only one who could lead the wolves into the world of men, she had to show them all that it could be done, she had to lead by example. "Don't worry though, I won't be gone for long. Wulf and Heda are not so easily parted."

At that, Lexa smiled just a little. "I'm glad to hear that." She replied honestly. "My gates will always be open for you, River. And for you, Abraham. My men will spread the word that an attack on your kind is an attack on the Coalition."

When Lexa and Clarke finally rode away, River felt as if a piece of her heart was riding away with Lexa. She watched as the mare galloped away, glad to be further from the wolves, but Lexa looked back one last time and River could see that neither wanted to leave the other. As much as the two sisters missed one another, they both knew that it was must more about Heda and Wulf missing one another. Never before during Lexa's reign had they decided to part with one another without a definitive plan of return.

It was a horrible feeling, that's all River really knew.

"We'll be back in Polis before you know it." Abraham's voice seemed to come from nowhere despite the fact that he was stood just a few feet behind River. He closed the distance and pulled her backwards into his embrace.

Sighing, she leaned back against him and closed her eyes, tilting her head up until she could feel the gentle scratch of his short beard against her skin. She didn't want to look away from the woods, but Lexa was already gone, there was nothing left to see. "I know." She grumbled, wishing that she could just follow them back with Abraham at her side.

"The pack will be excited to see you."

Chuckling, River gently kissed Abraham's throat before turning in his grasp and snaking her hands up and around the back of his neck, feeling his own arms lock tightly behind her back, forcing their bodies impossibly close. "I highly doubt that. You, perhaps, but me? Definitely not."

The air seemed to change around them. Perhaps it was the fact that River's emotions were completely up in the air. Whatever it was, she didn't care. Suddenly, all she wanted was him. "River, you're the perfect tie to a new life, one where we don't have to hide around the woods all our lives'." Abraham's voice, though sweet, clearly held a note of something else. River was sure that he'd just noticed her very close they were. "You're perfect." He then added, a slight rasp in his throat.

River didn't want to wait longer than that. She used her hold on the back of his neck to draw him down to her level harshly. Then, she hardly gave him so much as a second before descending on him. They were all desperation, lips, teeth, tongues, all clashing, grunting and stumbling until finally they ended up against a sturdy enough tree. The mighty fir groaned its protest as the young couple groaned their pleasure, though neither of them cared. They seemed to care only for the feeling of their skin touching until finally, the beasts were sated.

By nightfall, the pair reached the Wantri, met by the howls of the whole pack. The woods were alive with the songs of tortured wolves that night, all of whom could see a bright and prosperous future if they followed River and Abraham into the world of man. Well, almost all of them.

Miles away, in the safety of their own walls, Queen Nia and only her most trusted guards spoke in hushed tones, telling one another pieces of information that they'd picked up while in Polis until finally, Nia stopped them. She'd heard enough. Enough to know that now was the time to move. _"First, we kill the girl. The dog will live in the dungeons with her corpse for the rest of its days. With Lexa gone, we find a new commander in Ontari. Finally, Azgeda will rule and Skaikru will rue the day that they fell from the sky."_

Had River known the plan, she surely would have sprinted back to Polis, but she did not. Instead, she spent her night trying to figure out her ever moving place in an ever unstable pack.

* * *

 **So, that's the bottom of my merry, Christmassy love for you all, unless I get my arse in gear and produce more, which is possible but unlikely. Have an amazing day, everyone, spare a thought for those around you who don't always have a great time this time of year, think about bringing people together for one of the biggest times of year, reconnect with a distant relative, cook for your parents, do the washing up, shovel some snow, just make someone's day today! Again, thank you to you all for coming this far with me, I'd love it if you tell me what you think, but if not then I'd love to know how everyone's Christmas is going/if you're having a good time!**

 **Merry Christmas, happy holidays, love to all!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Okay, I'm so sorry this has taken such a long time. I had a pretty crazy month where all I wanted to do was write but nothing at all was coming into my brain. You could have asked me to spell a simple word and I probably would have smiled and shrugged, so again, apologies for my tardiness. However, here we are, Chapter Fourteen! I still have quite a way to go with this one, so thank you for coming this far and fingers crossed you'll come further with me!**

 **This isn't an overly long one by any means, but I think it sets a few little bits up nicely, so here we go!**

* * *

It was strange for Lexa to so much as wake without Wulf, but she understood. She knew that River couldn't return to Polis with her so soon, but when Titus shook her awake to announce that Nia of all people was at her gates, she wished as hard as she could that River or Wulf would simply appear. She didn't even care which form arrived, she simply needed the consistency that Wulf had always offered to her. Alas, she had no sister there, no wolf there, just Titus. Well, Clarke, too, but it wasn't as if she could take Clarke everywhere, especially not when Nia was around. No, not after Costia.

After dressing quickly, Lexa checked herself over many times as she sat atop her bed, knowing that there was power in making someone wait, just as there was power in appearing at someone's gates while they slept.

Everything with Nia was a power struggle. Nothing was to be taken at face value and everything was a slight or a stab in the back. She needed to be careful in how she moved, in how she spoke. One slip up and she knew that she could unintentionally tell the Ice Queen too much in only a few small words.

 _"I see that you are without your wolf, Lexa. Why is that?"_ Lexa wasn't shocked to find Nia at the bottom of her tower when she finally arrived down there, but that didn't mean she liked the fact that the so called queen was sitting at _her_ table.

Alas, she didn't let it get to her, instead thinking through Nia's words. _"My wolves are never far."_ It took a lot to keep her voice steady when talking about Wulf, but she had to. She couldn't give away that Wulf wasn't there. Last time they had been parted for so long, Nia had her men sneak into Polis and take Costi. Lexa would hardly leave that same opening for them to harm Clarke.

The ice queen hummed thoughtfully. _"How strange."_ She stated simply, sending a vile chill down Lexa's spine. _"I could have sworn that my men had seen her on the edges of the Wantri, with others of her kind, no less."_

 _"Perhaps they did. She enjoys to roam."_

 _"She's lucky that my men recognised her. If not, I fear it would be her hide I travelled here in."_ Lexa took a moment to look the woman over. It was clear that she was wearing white furs simply to make Lexa question whether or not Wulf was alive.

Smiling, Lexa took a seat across from her. _"She is more lucky that the new laws that I have set in place protect her from such attacks. She is also lucky that Azgeda follow my rules so carefully."_

 _"Do you know how many of my men one of those wolves feeds?"_

 _"I do not, nor do I care. You will find your meat elsewhere."_ Before she had known that Wulf had a human side it would have made Lexa fel sick to know that Azgeda were eating her kind, but now? Now it made her feel as if her stomach would turn and spill itself. _"Did you come here to discuss laws with me, or is there something else?"_

Smirking, the queen pulled a piece of parchment from her overly large robe, pushing it to Lexa across the table, though she only pushed it halfway. Lexa, however, refused to stand and reach. If Nia wanted her to see it then she would hand it to her like a damn human being. _"What is that?"_

 _"My demands."_

 _"Your demands?"_ Lexa couldn't help but smirk a little. Who did she think she was, handing out demands? Behind her, she heard Indra hiss, the only sign that the woman had entered the room behind Lexa. _"Pray tell, why would I comply with such a list? In case you forgot, I have your son. Your heir."_ She didn't feel the need to add that she was the woman's commander, though she sometimes wondered if Azgeda had forgotten.

 _"You do. I would like him back. As you will see, that is my third demand."_

 _"Third of how many?"_

 _"See for yourself."_

 _"Then hand me the sheet."_

For a moment, Nia simply scoff, sitting upright with a look of sheer shock on her face. _"Really, Lexa? Are we to be this petty?"_

With her blood boiling, Lexa simply leaned back in her chair. _"If you would like me to read your list of requests, you will at least be polite enough to hand them to me. I fear, Nia, that it is you being petty."_

 _"Demands, my dear child. Demands."_

 _"Call them what you will."_ Lexa stated, standing with a bored sigh. _"I will not be disrespected in my own home. You will show me the proper courtesy that a subject shows their commander, or you will leave. Be warned, if you should leave, your requests will be burned and your son may not last the night. I am the ruler of our people, I do not bow to you or to any other falsely named monarch. How would Azgeda like to receive a piece of him in a box? Perhaps I could take something valuable from him, something to ensure the end of your wretched line."_

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Lexa could feel the anger surging through her body, threatening to spill as she thought over her words. She would so love to send Nia pieces of a loved one, the same way in which that bitch sent her the head of the woman she had loved so very much.

 _"My army is at your door, Lexa. I have the power here-"_

 _"How dare you!"_ Indra snapped, getting ready to round Lexa only to have the younger woman extend her arm.

 _"You will hand me your list and we shall pretend to know how to be civilised. Your army means nothing if their queen and prince lie dead on the floor. You are here, within striking distance. Roan is elsewhere, ever with a blade to his throat. Please, I beg of you, give me a reason to end your line once and for all."_

Smirking, Nia stood and nodded. _"Today we shall leave, but I warn you, Lexa of the woods people, now is not the time for you to be making an enemy of me."_

It took little over five minutes before all of the Azgeda soldiers were out of Polis and riding off, but Lexa didn't settle. She couldn't. Once they were truly gone, she snatched the list of Nia's from the table and stormed up towards her room. She knew that she would find neither Wulf nor River up there, but a small, childish part in her held hope that she would somehow be there when she pushed open her door.

Alas, she was not.

"Oh- Lexa!" Clarke, however, was right behind her. "I heard some commotion, is everything okay?"

Turning in her doorway, Lexa smiled softly. "No." She answered honestly. "Nothing is okay, but here we are."

Seeming somewhat perplexed, Clarke opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before nodding. "Right." Was all she could push out before shaking her head. "Well, for one, not everything is bad."

"No?"

"No."

"How so?"

"Well... I'm here, with you."

"You are." Lexa smiled a little wider, this time more genuine. "I am glad of that, Clarke."

"As am I, Lexa." Clarke replied honestly.

Miles away, Wulf was frantic. Abraham was packing bags, urging the woman he loved not to let the animal within her rule her head. He begged that she just wait so that they could travel together, but news of Azgeda soldiers having been nearing Polis was too much for her. She needed to go, she had to see that Lexa was okay with her own eyes.

Finally, though, she was beginning to understand the difference between Wulf and River. Although River was Lexa's sister, she still dreamed of being able to have a life filled with Abraham's love and possibly even a life away from Polis, but Wulf? Wulf wanted nothing more than to protect Lexa. Of course she wanted to have other wolves around her, Abraham especially, but she could give them all up for Lexa in a heartbeat.

Wulf was definitely the one in control as she sped away, leaving Abraham yelling after her. She knew that it wasn't fair to leave him to pack their things alone, but she simply couldn't stay. He would catch up, she was sure, she just hoped that he understood.

The sodden earth made way for her feet as she ran, not once sticking to a path but instead shooting quickly through the virgin ground, defiling it with her huge paws. She didn't care.

For hours upon hours, she ran. Abraham didn't catch up to her, but she heard his howls. She could tell that he wanted her to stop, but she just couldn't, not until she finally saw the army. She was less than ten miles for Polis and they were clearly on their way out. She lay quickly in the bushes, not getting too close as she tried in vain to regulate her breathing once more.

Desperately, she look over the soldiers, feeling her stomach settle a little when she noted happily that there was no blood on their clothing or weapons. She couldn't see the queen in the masses of men and women, but this was enough. It was enough so far that she had seen that they hadn't at the very least slaughtered the citizens of Polis.

From there, Wulf was smart. She trotted somewhat silently around the soldiers, giving them a wide birth before she was sprinting once more, bombing her way to the gates of Polis where she was, as always, let in immediately. She knew that Abraham was probably only a mile or two behind her, but she couldn't bear to wait. She shot straight over to the tower and began to climb the steps, ignoring Indra and Anya when they stood to greet her, shocked.

She smelled Lexa long before she saw her as she neared the door of her commander. Without a thought for the lock, she used her own body weight to ram the door open, leaving no time for the startled couple inside to collect themselves as Lexa leapt from the small couch that Wulf could see they had both been on, drawing her dagger and thrusting it only to stop when her sleepy eyes adjusted.

The blade fell to the floor as the sisters came together. Lexa was unashamed in hugging Wulf in front of Clarke, throwing her arms around the wolf's neck and hugging tightly, delighted when she felt a large paw draw her closer and Wulf's huge head pull her in at her back.

It was clear that Lexa and Clarke had fallen asleep sitting together, but Wulf was silently pleased to have caught a glimpse of Lexa's sleeping head resting on Clarke's shoulder when she burst in.

Their hug lasted just a minute longer before a panting Abraham stepped into the room, carefully crafted bags slung across his back. The two parted and Wulf turned with apologetic eyes to the huge, black wolf. He simply sighed and slumped straight down, clearly exhausted from all the running. Sometimes Wulf forgot that he wasn't as used to things as she was. Sure, he lived in a pack, but he wore his human skin more often than his wolf, he didn't run for days on end like she did, he wasn't really a wolf like she was, not really.

In the time that followed, Lexa told Wulf everything that had happened. The black wolf watched the woman he loved with unsure eyes, for the first time truly seeing her devotion to Lexa. Of course, he had never for a second doubted it in the years that they had known one another, but watching her sprint away? Wondering if she had even heard his shouts? If she had ignored him? That was a whole new revelation. He wondered silently if she still wore her wolf's fur specifically so they couldn't speak about it.

From beside Lexa, Clarke watched. She wasn't all too sure what exactly she felt about Wulf. Or was it River? She wasn't really sure which name applied, all she knew was that somehow, Lexa's forgotten sister turned into an enormous wolf and Lexa was somehow okay about that. She, of course, admired the way that the white wolf dropped everything for Lexa, but there was something _off_ about her. She seemed... unhinged, perhaps? Maybe that was it. Whatever it was, Clarke wouldn't trust her, not too quickly. She knew that Wulf didn't trust her either, not completely, even after they fought so hard together in Mount Weather, but Clarke knew the threat that she posed. Being Lexa's lover, if that's what she was, made her the most dangerous person in the room. She had the power and the proximity to kill Lexa in her very bed, that was something she knew Wulf would hold against her.

Wulf, though everyone's doubt, only had eyes for Lexa. She watched her sister as she complained about the Ice Queen, snarling inside, and felt nothing but pride. She may not have been there for most of Lexa's childhood, but clearly she had turned out perfectly fine and held her own as a competent was refreshing, that much was certain.

She didn't realise how much she had missed her younger sibling until she tried to open her mouth to say something only to released a canine whine. Ah, yes, the choice. There was always a choice. Human, or wolf?

Despite Lexa quickly giving Abraham and River their own room, _River_ wasn't present. Wulf was. Wulf wanted to protect Lexa and in doing so, she left Abraham alone in their room. Next door wasn't good enough. She didn't whine at Lexa's door, no, not now it was known that she wasn't simply an animal. She lay outside it, curled up as she slept, and dreamed about the day that they would charge into war with Nia, the evil harpy. She dreamed about tearing that woman's head from her wretched shoulders. She dreamed about anything and everything.

Everything but Abraham, who, only a room away, dreamed of a white wolf. Then of a woman. The woman he loved. The woman who, in his dreams, was happy to shed her fur and wear human skin for a change. Who was happy in his company and didn't thirst for war. Perhaps having a taste of River was simply too much, now he had no idea how to let her go.

* * *

 **Anyone got any thoughts on where they think I'll take things? Also, thoughts on Abraham would be much appreciated! I think I want to something with him but I'm not too sure what. My initial thoughts were that he could be a traitor or that he could die an honest hero, but I think there are so many different ways he could go, I'm curios as to whether or not anyone has any ideas or opinions to share.**

 **As always, have a great day, feel free to tell me what you thought of this one, what you'd like to see more/less of in the next one, all that jazz!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Okay, I'm trying my damn hardest to get back into writing this fic and posting as quickly as I can, so here's the little thought baby that I wrote just this morning, so I apologise for any little errors and such, but I'm actually pretty happy with it! Looks like war is coming, anyone excited? I just want to (as always) thank you all for coming this far, last night we got to over four thousand views, which is pretty massive for me! I'm loving every second of writing this, so I hope someone out there is still loving reading it.**

 **Also, my longest chapter yet!**

* * *

Despite somewhat despising her human skin, River stood beside Indra on her own two feet. Inside she was still Wulf, but she had to accept that there was a human part to her, too.

On her other side, Anya finished strapping her armour on with a nod and the three woman left the armoury with their weapons. _"I thought that you were dead, Riva."_ Anya spoke calmly as they walked, earning a small chuckle from River.

 _"Look who's talking."_ She grumbled in reply, thinking back to Anya and how a few short weeks ago her body had been full of bullets.

For the rest of the walk through Polis, there were no words. They reached where Lexa and Clarke were being guarded with others by armed guards and Abraham. The black wolf's eyes softened somewhat when he saw her, but he held his position all the same. She offered him a smile, but that was all. Things had become a little strained since the two no longer shared a bed.

Abraham was finally beginning to see what River's life in Polis had been like before he had arrived and he wasn't sure that he liked it at all. He had never thought that he'd get her all to himself, but he never thought that he'd be left with so little of her. He was understanding quickly that Lexa was her life and that he had to slot in where he could or get out.

With the thundering of heavy feet nearing though, no one had time to be thinking about their petty squabbles of life.

River quickly took her place by Lexa's side, placing a hand firmly on her axe head, feeling the heavy handle stretch all the way from her hip down to her calf.

She had almost cried when Lexa had brought it to her that very morning. The handle, she knew, was from the very training axe she had fought with the day the wolves took her. Apparently it had been set aside to be burned with an empty cloth where her body should have lay upon the fire, but no. Lexa, despite never having told anyone, had taken it. She had been so young and to lose her sister in a matter of minutes had been too much. The head of the axe had been forged that very morning, too. It was a sharp, stunning weapon that River most definitely knew how to use.

When the gates to Polis swung open, River _felt_ Abraham's skin tighten as his pack mates stepped through the threshold of the human capitol. She knew, of course, that this would be strange for him, just as it was for her. There were two very different parts of both of their lives; parts that were coming together whether they liked it or not.

Alas, time would not slow, so that black wolf and the white wolf, in their respective forms, had to adapt and adjust as they always did.

The pack neared in unison, at least thirty wolves strong. It was a show of strength, bringing such a number of beasts. Had they been human, thirty would have meant very little, but wolves of their size were akin to perhaps ten men. They could do that much damage at the very least.

River's gut stiffened a little when a particular wolf came into view, but she remembered that her human face betrayed her emotions far too easily, so she found a mask deep within herself and pulled it on. She and Lexa wore the same mask as the grey wolf stepped into the middle of the pack, consumed by them all. They circled her, closing in until River felt a faint prickly of her skin as the air shifted. A moment later, the wolves moved again, revealing a now-dressed woman.

This woman, in her mid-twenties, was perhaps only an inch or two shorter than River with the stunningly intricate tattoos of a respected warrior, the body of one of the dancers that River saw when she passed the brothels and the smirk to say that she knew exactly how good she looked. River hated every caramel hair on her head.

Of course, River hadn't understood why Abraham and she couldn't have swapped places. She would have been closer to this _bitch_ , in her wolf's skin no less, and he would have been safely human beside Lexa. But no, the supermodel neared the black wolf, boiling River's blood when she reached out and touched his shoulder with a smile. _"You look well, Ibrahim."_

 _Ibrahim?_ River scoffed mentally. Only she called him that when they first met, not this piece of dirt.

Abraham, to River's great pleasure, made no move to chuff happily, nor did he return her contact.

 _Good, fuck you._

 _"Riva, I almost forgot what your human face looked like."_ Of course she addressed River before Lexa. Why? Because she was making out like she had a huge dick. It made River mad. Those tattoos proved that she had once bowed to a Commander, just as most of them had, but now she believed herself to be above Lexa's command.

Gritting her teeth, River said nothing. _She_ wasn't disrespectful.

"I thank you all for coming." Lexa's voice rang out, clearly taking a few of the wolves by surprise. "I trust that some of you speak and understand this tongue that we speak for the Sky People's benefit."

There was a somewhat tense silence for a moment as the wolves regarded Skaikru coldly, but the caramel head nodded. "Of course. For Abraham, too." Alright, that was it. She was very clearly trying to get under River's skin. It was working.

"Heda," River started loudly and clearly. "Before you stands the united pack of the Wantri. Wolves of many backgrounds, living under the rule of Alpha Kair, a fair and-"

"Actually," Started the bane of River's life, cutting her off without so much as a second glance. "I am saddened largely to tell you, River, that Kair- well, he passed on. May his wolf live on us all."

"May his wolf live on _in_ us all." River repeated, correcting the woman's slightly worse grasp of the English language. "Allow me to start again. Heda, before you stands the united pack of the Wantri. Wolves of many backgrounds, living, until recently, under the rule of Alpha Kair, a fair and familial leader, proven many times over in combat. The pack's beta, to the best of my knowledge, stands before you in human form. Maiyana, originally of the Sand People." River wouldn't give her the satisfaction of naming her successes.

Smirking, Maiyana stepped forwards, coming past Abraham. The giant black wolf took a second to look up at River and all she could see was the heartache in his eyes. Kair had been a kind, guiding hand to them both. She knew exactly the pain that he was feeling, for she too felt as if something in her chest was tearing her in half.

"So, if your pack has no alpha, am I to presume that you speak for the wolves of the Wantri, Maiyana of the Sand People?" Lexa's voice, as always, was enough to snap River out of anything that her head was caught up in. She didn't have time for sorrows, not when they were preparing for war.

Past Abraham, Maiyana walked further until Indra and Anya stepped between her and Lexa, crossing their spears as if to dare the wolf to try to pass them. River would have put her money on Indra having the wretched bitch dead before her feet had even become paws. "Our laws dictate that we must find a new alpha. You ask us to follow you to war, we cannot do this without a leader."

"Heda is a leader enough." River growled, not caring that there was a venomous undertone to her voice. Some of the wolves growled at that, unsure, but River held her ground. "A pack needs an alpha, there is no disputing that, but any alpha would have to bow to Heda as part of the coalition. Preparing for war, united, strong, as one, that is more important that making a hasty decision that may hurt the pack."

River could see Maiyana's smirk fade. She clearly wasn't happy. River wondered if she wanted to attack her, but she was still the other side of Anya and Indra. "Our pack will have an alpha by the time we run for war. It is our way, as it has always been."

Stepping forward a single step, River made her position on the matter clear. "We hid in the Wantri for decades, as was our way. Perhaps the time for change is now, no?"

 _That's right, let them all see what a backwards bitch you are._

There was a tense second as green eyes met cold blue. River could see the hatred in them, just as she knew shone in her own. Maiyana's face, however, pretended not to know what swam in her very soul, instead smiling. "Perhaps." Was all she said before looking up at Lexa. "We need to know that we will no longer be hunted. We did not travel here simply to die by the hands of your men."

"You will speak to Heda with the proper respect that she deserves." River was shocked to hear Anya's voice, but pleased all the same.

Sighing, Lexa stepped forward, past River and over to Anya and Indra, pushing their still crossed spears aside to leave nothing between her and Maiyana. "My law states that an attack on a wolf is an attack on me. An attack on my life is death. My law is my word and my word is absolute."

River felt enormous pride at Lexa's words, she just wished she wouldn't stand so close to that bitch.

Putting a little space between herself and Lexa felt wrong, but River needed to know that if she had to release Wulf, there would be enough space that Lexa wouldn't get hurt. So instead, she stood beside Clarke and Marcus Kane, looking as if she was protecting them.

Talks between Lexa and Maiyana continued until finally everything was sorted. The wolves were offered the spare rooms in Lexa's tower, but River was thrilled when they turned them down. Maiyana said that they preferred the woods, but River knew that it was to make a quick getaway if things went wrong. It was understandable, but River hated any call made by that perfect moron.

A little later, when Lexa stated that she and Clarke were going into her room to discuss strategy about Skaikru in battle, something that River knew meant "we're going to screw loudly", River decided that enough was enough. She needed to prove to Abraham that he was hers, because dammit, he was, wasn't he?

She strode to their room, taking the steps three at a time, eventually bursting through the door only to find... he wasn't there? She shot in and searched for his things. Empty. "Abraham?" She all but barked, throwing herself around like a whirlwind until she understood.

He'd gone to be with his own people.

A deep sadness settled within her.

She understood. It was only a matter of time. _"He left down the ladders."_ River spun, shocked to see Indra and Anya standing there. It was Indra who had spoken, a soft look behind her stern eyes.

 _"So that he didn't run into me."_ River added, feeling her chest constrict around her already failing heart.

Neither woman nodded, they simply gave her a look that she couldn't quite identify before going to guard Lexa's door. It was no shock what Lexa and Clarke were doing the other side of it, but River knew that she couldn't stay and hear it all, not with her heightened sense of hearing. She could already smell sex in the air.

Quickly, she left her room, hanging onto the door frame. "Tell Heda that I need to hunt." It wasn't technically a lie.

With that, she went back inside, not even bothering to close her door and she shucked her clothes and let Wulf take the stage once more. This, this felt right.

Sighing contently, she closed her eyes and felt her fur on her skin. This was what she needed, wasn't it? So why, oh God, why did her chest still hurt?

Abraham.

Her eyes shot open and she sprinted from her room, leaving her clothes in a heap on the floor. She raced down the tower's stairs, practically leaping down a flight at a time, even bounding straight over a few people when they failed to move quickly for her. She reached the bottom in no time, tasting Abraham in the air. That was enough.

Her feet carried her all the way to the gates before she saw the tail of a wolf disappear into the woods. Perfect. She shot after it, then past it when she took it in and knew that it wasn't him. Male, yes, but not Abraham.

It took her barely a minute before she was skidding to a stop literally feet from a campfire. Wolves and human bodies surrounded it, somewhat shocked to see her there. Of course, they had all expected her to remain with Lexa, just as she always had. "River." Abraham! His voice was all she needed, she didn't care about the wolves and other onlookers. What she _did_ care about though, was that when she spun, she saw Maiyana with her _hand_ on Abraham's _arm_.

 _Not on my watch_.

Abraham, however, wasn't even remotely interested in her. He took a cautious step towards River, clearly shocked to see her. "Did Lexa send you?" He asked, scepticism in his voice. River shook her head. "Then what are you doing here?" That was a good question. Chuffing lightly, she hoped that her eyes conveyed enough.

No. Not enough.

Shaking her head slightly, she knew. She knew what she had to do.

She reigned Wulf back in, thinking the right thoughts until her human skin was back and she was nude in front of everyone.

Ever the gentleman, Abraham's eyes went wide and he rushed forwards, yanking his shirt off and hurling it over her head, holding the edges down desperately, shocked stiff when she stepped into him and leaned up, using his shock as an opening to kiss him firmly on the lips. It took a moment, but that was all. Just one moment before his hands, still holding the bottom of his shirt over River's crotch, flattened on her hip and thigh and he was kissing her back.

It was over far too quickly, but the others hooting and whistling wasn't exactly setting the mood.

"Let's go away." River's voice clearly shocked Abraham, but she knew what she wanted and she knew what she needed. "I've been so terrified about something happening to Lexa that I didn't stop to notice that she's more than capable without me. This war, once it's over, let's just go. Anywhere you want. However long you want. Just you and me."

River watched as the pain left Abraham's eyes just as quickly as it left her chest. They were meant to be, she knew that. He opened his mouth to speak, but not quickly enough.

 _"Ibrahim and I were just discussing his chances as our alpha."_ Maiyana, God, couldn't she just keep her mouth shut. _"Though, of course, our alpha wouldn't simply leave us after a war, a time in which we would need him most..."_

River knew that she was usually the thing getting between them, but why did there always have to be something?

That night, River found herself sleeping in Abraham's arms. It was strange to be away from Lexa again, but she needed this. She needed time to be River, away from Wulf. Perhaps she hadn't always understood, but now she did. There were two sides to her and it wasn't fair to only allow one to have its day, she had to sate the human side to her too, not push it away as she had been doing for so many years.

The next morning, while some of the wolves dispersed and others explored Polis, River and Abraham went to see Lexa. River was silently shocked to see Marcus Kane and not Clarke, but she said nothing. Instead, she took her seat beside Abraham and Anya at Lexa's table. There was another woman, one River was introduced to as Abigail Griffin, Clarke's mother no doubt. River recognised her from the Mountain, but she hadn't spoken to the woman before.

"So," Lexa began, clearly tired. River hoped, strangely, that Lexa was tired from sex, because if she wasn't then that meant she was tired from staying up worrying. "I think the first order of business this morning is to discuss the wolves. River, Abraham, what's both of your takes on yesterday? This alpha business, how serious is it?"

Under the table, River chose to place a hand on Abraham's thigh, letting her other one sit on the table. Quite frankly, she didn't care who saw, it wasn't as if she was groping him. What pleased her though, was his small smile at the contact. Clearing his throat, he sat up a little taller, a little prouder. "Well, most of the wolves are unsure, Heda. They've followed the absolute law of an alpha, just as your people have followed you. A smaller scale, of course, but the same concept."

"Being without an alpha is the be without a commander." River agreed aloud. "It is important. Much more important that I let on yesterday."

Abraham nodded, bouncing off of River's point. "A pack without an alpha is a pack without law. Some of the wolves still follow Kair's word, but with Maiyana taking charge... they're divided. It's dangerous. If I may speak frankly, Heda, there does need to be a new alpha appointed before this war, but carefully. Some of them would have the pack run back to the Wantri, while others think that River bringing us all from the woodwork is what's best for us."

"This situation, it is to be dealt with carefully?" Lexa looked concerned, rightfully so. Abraham and River nodded. Sighing tiredly, Lexa placed her forearms on the table before her. "And this alpha, how is one chosen?"

Abraham and River looked between one another for a moment before Abraham couched awkwardly, silently begging River to take the lead. She gently stroked his leg with her thumb, confirming that it was all okay. "Well, Heda, the packs were styled after the societies they all knew already."

"Meaning?"

"There is to be a conclave."

* * *

 **Well well well, thoughts?**

 **I know it seems like a bit of a cop out to have a conclave, but I was thinking about the wolves, how long they've been there etc, and I don't know if I'll go into detail about how they came about but I've decided that this particular pack is as old as the age of Hedas among the grounders, so in turn perhaps the first pack was made up of grounder and such, so to me it makes sense that they'd have a conclave.** **As always, have an amazing day, please tell me what you think so I know if I'm going in the right direction, but most of all just enjoy!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Okay, so, easily my longest chapter yet, weighing in at 5,360 words without the top and bottom author notes! That's pretty crazy for me considering I don't think any of the other chapters have touched 3,000 so that's pretty neat.**

 **I've been writing this chapter over the last couple of days and obviously hope that it's enjoyable. I'm not great at writing action scenes and prolonging scenes for dramatic effect, so I hope that this is alright. Also, on a funny note, I was wondering over the last few days why no one was mentioning a certain part in reviews/message etc... then I realised I hadn't even written that bit yet and was just obsessing over it in my head. I'm such a dope.**

* * *

War was coming. It seemed to be around every corner, yet when the corner was turned, nothing was out of place. Nia was being incredibly careful. If there were laws being broken, she wasn't leaving any survivors to tell the tale.

The wolves living outside of Polis were growing restless. For a week and a half now they had been sleeping at the walls of the homes they had been welcomed into. River was silently pleased to see that a few of them spoke quietly about going inside and sleeping in the beds offered by Lexa. It seemed that only Maiyana wanted to remain outside like a dog, not that River was surprised.

Together, River and Abraham rose to the morning's daily shuffling of sounds through the single wall between them and Lexa's room. Today was the day that everyone had been waiting for. The conclave.

Worry was thick in the air. River and Abraham had talked extensively about who they thought should be appointed as the new alpha, but it all came down to the last wolf standing. Kair had been lucky to win all those years ago, but the wolves now, they were different. The wolves of today were a stronger, more violent bunch. Only the strong would prevail, but the physically strong didn't always make the best leaders. At least the humans had the Flame to guide them, the wolves had nothing of the sort.

The people of Polis had been warned by Lexa about the wolves' conclave, but that simply made it a spectator event. Now it was a chance for vendors to sell snacks for the event, for betting huts to put odds on who would enter. The largest pool said that Wulf would stand and take the pack for Heda.

River had no such intention.

Though the conclave was to be held in the arena, Lexa had made it clear that as long as no citizens were hurt, the wolves could roam anywhere. It had taken a lot for the wolves to trust Heda to make the rules, but she reminded them that their ways were derived from her own, and as someone who had won a conclave, she knew what it was like.

"The whole of Polis shall be grounds for the conclave." She had said. "Although I will ask you all to stay inside for your own safety, you are all permitted to do as you please. However, tampering in any way will be a punishable offence."

The whole idea of the conclave made River feel physically sick to her stomach. There were some truly strong wolves in the pack, but some of the smarter, more diplomatic of the bunch wouldn't stand a chance.

Thankfully, a rule of the conclave that the wolves ignored, was that all who entered must have black blood. The wolves had no need for Nightblood as they had no Flame, so it was run on the basis that anyone who deemed themselves worthy should enter.

"How are you feeling?" River asked Abraham, letting her voice fill their room.

The old bed groaned as the six and a half foot tall man rolled from its side and onto his own feet. "I honestly don't know." He sighed deeply. River hated seeing him so troubled like this. "Whoever wins today could change things for us. The pack survives while the lone wolf perishes, but if our next alpha is bad for the pack, then what do we do?"

River dressed quickly, thinking as she went. "We survive. You and me, whether it's with the pack or without them." She chose not to mention that she would happily kill a toxic alpha for the sake of him or for the pack. Abraham had always bought into the idea of pack as family more than she had, he'd probably have some moral objections with killing their proven leader.

"Wolves don't do well without a pack."

"Then we'll make our own. Normal wolves need other wolves, we've got the advantage of a human side, too."

No more words were spoken as Abraham dressed himself. When he was done, he simply kissed River's head and said that he'd speak with the others before everything started. She pulled him in for a long, gentle kiss, knowing that something in him was wrong. He was clearly worrying about who might become their next leader and what the implications for them would be. "Stay safe." She mumbled when she finally released him, worried when she got a nod in return. No smile.

With Lexa and Clarke awake, River wasted little time in her own room. She was quickly out of the door and knocking on Lexa's, pleased when it was promptly swung open. It was Clarke to swing it open, eyeing River carefully as she welcomed the older woman into the room. River, however, didn't care much, so long as Lexa was happy and healthy.

Lexa, as River had expected, was just finishing getting dressed, her war paint lying on the table, ready. Without looking up at River, Lexa clearly knew who had entered. "You are ready?" She asked, not once letting her nerves infiltrate her voice.

River drew a deep breath in, mulling Lexa's words over in her mind. "I am." She replied confidently.

"What happens if your new leader is... well, not great for the pack?" Clarke piped up, worry clearly lacing her voice.

River turned slightly to her. "Then they order the pack away from Polis. We lose the wolves."

Clarke's face paled. River knew that she had made it clear that losing the pack was absolutely not an option. "We have to prepare for that outcome." Lexa stated bleakly. "If we cannot ensure a worthy alpha, then we must ensure the safety of Polis."

Nodding, River walked over to her younger sister and took the pot of black powder that she was staring into, clearly shocking her. "Let me." She mumbled quietly, taking the small thimble of water and maxing a hefty layer of powder in with it before applying it carefully to Lexa's face. She took a moment to really look at her sister, taking in the woman that she had become. River was proud, that much was for sure. "I have stressed the importance of this war to the pack. There are few who would turn the wolves away, we just pray that those few aren't interested in a crown."

Washing her hands a moment later, River thought about how the day would pan out and sighed. It didn't matter too much to her who became alpha, so long as no one had it out for Lexa and used the pack to get to her, but Abraham? It mattered to him. The pack mattered to him more than River could truly grasp.

"I won't let anything harm either of you." River stated surely once Lexa and Clarke were sufficiently clothed and painted. River had watched, her heart swelling, as Lexa had carefully painted Clarke's face. It somewhat mirrored her own paint, though with an enormously harsh blue to match her eyes. It looked amazing, River had to admit. With a smile, River mentally noted that Lexa must have had that colour mixed intentionally for the blonde.

Seemingly caught off guard, Lexa nodded. "I know." She admitted, truth heavy in her voice. "You have never let anything harm me." She added as if to prove that she knew her sister's devotion.

River nodded once, twice, another two times. "Well, if Clarke is special to you, then I swear to you both now that I will never harm her. Not as long as she shows you the same courtesy, of course."

"I would never hurt Lexa." Clarke quickly defended, her tone sharp and clearly offended.

River, however, didn't care. She just needed the assurance. "Good." She stated simply, opening the door without another word.

"Wait." Lexa ordered, shocking the older woman who was, just one step further, between Indra and Anya. River turned, pleasantly surprised to see that Lexa too had mixed some of her own black paint. "You told me that I would have no place for a sister here. You were wrong. I will be the first Commander to break tradition. I will love, I will bleed, I will care. Polis is my city and I shall love it. You are my sister and I shall love you."

"Love is-"

"River-"

"Strength." Lexa was clearly shocked by River's answer, but relieved all the same.

"Strength." Lexa repeated, confirming.

Kneeling, River waited as Lexa painted over her eyes in harsh, unforgiving lines. Where Lexa's paint was smooth above her eyes, River's was sharp and threatening, reminding anyone who saw it that the Commander's wulf, in whatever form, was a killer.

Together, the five woman left the tower and made their way to the arena where many of the wolves had gathered. The air was buzzing, filled with deadly silence save for a few growls here and there. The chatter in the air had long since died down and no one seemed inclined to talk. Seats, despite Lexa's warnings, were filled. The people of Polis were hungry for excitement and a conclave of wolves was sure to exceed all expectations.

Ambassadors were nowhere to be seen, something that was uncommon at a conclave, but Lexa simply allowed the public to fill the usually exclusive seats.

 _"Welcome."_ Lexa's voice boomed into the dead silence, bringing all attention immediately to her. River, however, was watching the wolves. Not all down there were competing, but most were. They were all trading dirty glances while others simply touched loved ones for what could have been the last time. Wolves are animals that rely heavily on touch and other forms on contact, so River was hardly shocked, but there was something enormously moving in watching the blatant displays of affection that were the exact opposite of what had been drilled into both her and Lexa their entire lives.

 _"Today, we are all here for one reason."_ Lexa continued to speak, but again, River wasn't listening. She was looking desperately for Abraham. Thankfully, he wasn't down in the pit, but she hoped that he was okay, wherever he had hidden away. Every flash of black fur, she looked, but never once found him. _"Today, the wolves fight. They fight in the conclave, just as we do, to elect their new leader. Their heda. Their alpha."_

The wolves were taking notice now, listening and nodding. Loved ones began to step away, leaving the competitors in the arena. Some were in their wolf forms, showing brute strength, while others were in their human skins, donning armour and weapons. River wasn't sure who exactly she would have put her money on, but a few of them would make fine alphas.

Then, in just a second, he blood ran cold.

Black fur. A full coat of it.

 _"Ibrahim."_ Her voice was so very quiet, so very broken, but the twitch of his ear as his huge hide rounded the other competitors confirmed what she wished hadn't been so. Abraham was putting himself forwards.

 _"So, if everyone else could leave the arena, only those left inside at the third sound of the gong may fight for their place as the pack's leader. Any who forfeit will be dealt with as seen fit by the chosen leader."_

River wasn't sure if she was going to throw up, pass out or shit herself. What the fuck was he thinking?

 _"I bid good luck to you all. Abide by the rules, the city is yours, may the spirits of your former alphas guide you."_

No no no. This was all wrong.

 **BANG!**

The first ring of the gong made River jump, clearly noticeably as Clarke stepped back, shocked.

Shit.

 **BANG!**

Oh god, oh god, oh-

Fuck it.

River leapt.

 **BANG!**

Just in time.

The only thing on her mind as Lexa called her name was Abraham. No one could interfere now.

There were a few tense seconds where no one could seem to believe that Lexa's own wolf had done what so many betters had hoped for, but there she stood, clad in Trikru armour with her own axe hanging at her side.

The conclave would either leave Heda with no wolf, or all of them.

It was one of the others, a large tan bitch only one eye, who snapped them all out of it, releasing an enormous roar before charging at the much younger wolf only a few feet from her, sinking her teeth into his soft flank. At his yelp, all hell broke loose.

Many began to fight, but a few decided to run. They ran far enough that the fighters would thin one another out and hopefully injure themselves, but not far enough to get lost in the maze that was Polis.

River had other plans.

Two wolves made their break for her, but she _needed_ to get to Abraham.

Before either of the mere pups could get to her, she swung her axe and let it loose. It found a home quickly in the skull of one of the rushing beasts, leaving him dead before his mighty chest even hit the floor. Then she ran. She made it to his still sliding corpse seconds before the second wolf was upon her, wrenching her axe from the dead wolf and swinging just in time to catch her speeding attacker in the side of the neck.

His issue had been his speed. In his haste to get to River, he had left himself no time for stopping, so when she swung and knocked him immediately off balance, he tumbled to the floor with a gash in his neck, leaving River's axe in her hand.

With enemies in every direction, she had to make quick and efficient kills if she had any hope of getting to Abraham. With that in mind, she stormed over to where her second victim was trying and failing to stand. Using her axe would be overkill, so she instead simply reached out as he snapped uselessly and grabbed his throat. There was a huge flap of skin, leaving her throat wide open and exposed. She grabbed and squeezed, pulling and simply walking away, throwing what was left in her hand to the ground as he choked his last breath into the pool of blood housing his face.

Just under twenty wolves had entered, but River could see with a glance that there were at least five dead on the ground, two thanks to her. During her glance, she'd noted that none of the dead were Abraham, but he was nowhere to be seen.

She didn't dare look up at Lexa, but she knew that he sister wouldn't be pleased. She'd only just pledged her protection to Clarke and now she was fighting in a match to what could be her death. It was hardly ideal.

Unlike most of the others, River was skilled in both her human form and her wolf form, giving her a clear advantage. Alas, she was also one of the most dangerous, meaning that she was high on everyone's hit list. No one wanted to be left against just her, so when all but two remaining wolves fled the arena, some chasing others off, River understood what was happening.

Jai and Camarin, the two left with her, could tear one another apart later. Right now, she was the clear threat to them both. They were both smart enough to know that whichever of them won the fight against one another would be easy pickings going up alone against River, but together? Well, they liked their odds.

River smirked, because funnily enough, she liked her odds better.

As they began to charge, she had but a moment to think. She trusted her wolf's form for so much, but perhaps River was the better weapon right now, not Wulf. Wulf was too large a target, especially for two attackers. She didn't want to leave her hide unprotected as she fought, so she made a call.

Human form it was.

As they gained speed, the decided quickly to feign a throw of her axe. Much to her amusement, Jai almost fell over trying to dodge an axe that never came, stumbling into Camarin and getting a snap as a warning.

They kept charging.

River waited. She couldn't strike too soon, nor too late, she had to be right on the money.

They seemed unsettled by her lack of movement, but still they came.

Then, as if turned on by a switch, she released the most frightful battle cry, lurching forward and hurling her axe. Naturally the boys expected and over arm throw, so when the axe spun sideways from her hip, their eyes widened with fear. They, just like River's second attacker, had made the same fatal mistake of not giving themselves time to stop.

When her trusty axe found Jai, it cut straight into his chest and sent him plummeting to the floor. It was in deep, much too deep for him to remove and survive. Camarin had just dug his paws into the dirt, desperate to stop, when River met him head on, slipping a dagger from her belt and thrusting it upward. His huge paws clawed desperately as one of River's arms came up and trapped his thrashing head down against her shoulder, her dagger coming up and stabbing repeatedly into the bottom of his jaw and his throat.

River was a lot of things, but she didn't want either of them to suffer. She gave one final stab at Camarin, pushing the dagger hard and feeling his weight as he slumped, dead. She felt his blood drench her, hearing the destroyed cries of his mother who was observing the whole thing.

Jai, to give him his due, was wheezing and heaving for breath, trying to drag himself away. River, however, simply strode across. He tried to even nip at her boot, but she knelt beside him and placed her hands on his side, shushing him. _"Relax."_ She told him, smoothing the fur over his shoulder. _"You fought hard. Now, my brother, you rest. You run freely with the wolves who came before us and you will be a hero to those who come after us."_ He calmed slightly at her words, understanding that resistance was futile.

 _"Close your eyes."_ River ordered. _"I swear to you, this will be quick. No more pain."_

He followed her orders and she followed through on her promise.

The last one in the arena, she retrieved her weapons and looked up at Lexa who was standing against the railing, unashamed in her worry. _"I couldn't leave Abraham."_ River reasoned as if Lexa had demanded a reason, but she got nothing in return. Nothing at all as she turned and jogged away.

On her way out, she counted nine of the eighteen, dead. She didn't know how she felt about having killed four wolves, but she knew that it would hit her later. Well, if she survived.

Her advantage on the others was that she knew Polis, but that didn't help if she didn't know where they had all gone.

Cries of _Wulf_ were being chanted by the locals of Polis, but River ignored them. This wasn't the time to get cocky or to play to the crowd, no, she needed to find and kill as many of the others as she could and simply pray that Abraham was as good against their own kind as he was against humans and mindless prey animals.

She only noticed that she was bleeding when she went to wipe some of Jai's blood from herself and found herself wincing. She checked herself over after crouching in what seemed to be as safe a spot as any, annoyed more than anything else when she found gashes from his claws on her side. She couldn't really feel it yet, but she knew that was the adrenaline.

Pushing on, she was quick to get back up and back to hunting. Polis and wolves didn't exactly share a scent, so that made hunting them a little easier, but not completely. It still seemed that whenever she thought someone was around the corner, it was no one. It was clear that she needed to keep her mind about her, especially if she had any chance of winning. Wait, was winning what she wanted? Well, no. She couldn't win _and_ save Abraham, not unless one of them forfeited, but that would mean she would have to ensure that they were the final two.

Another thing that somewhat amused River was that Maiyanara, for all of her talk about them desperately needing an new alpha, had been sat in the seats with the observers. At least the dumb bitch was smart enough to know that she wasn't a leader.

.

.

.

.

.

Abraham bit down hard, feeling the claws of the wolf below him digging into her chest, slicing through the flesh like a warm knife to butter. He winced, closing his eyes, but never once let go. With a gruff grunt, he shook his head, pretending that beneath him lay prey. It was easier to take the life of someone he had called brother when he pretended that they were just another animal.

For all of his time running around, he was still wondering what the hell River had done. She had jumped down before the final sound of the gong, but why? This was something that he had to do, surely she understood that? The pack may not have been much to her, but for years it had been everything to him.

He shook his head one final time, opening his jaw as his eyes opened and he released the dead lump of what was no long a living, breathing wolf. Now, Parka, he was just meat.

He didn't know how many wolves there were left in the conclave, but surely most of them were dead by now? He'd never wished any of his brothers or sisters dead before, but Christ, he wasn't sure how much fight he had left in him, but he couldn't forfeit. No alpha in their right mind would spare the life of anyone who went against them in the conclave. Everyone who entered did so because they thought themselves the best to lead, Abraham included, but to let someone live who also thought they were the best suited? That was almost like a hand-written invitation to get betrayed and murdered in your sleep. Of course, then another conclave would happen, but it was all a matter of perspective, the foremost one being that no wolf liked being embarrassed or submitting. Fact.

After walking around for some time, Abraham decided that perhaps he would head back to the arena, only, which way was that again?

Crap.

Sighing, he closed his eyes for a moment to think. He was near where River had bought eggs the day he had shown himself to Heda, so he wasn't far from the tower, but where exactly was the arena? It was close, right?

 _"Nowhere to run."_ A voice quickly took Abraham from his thoughts and had him spinning to face his female foe.

Amira, in her human form, held a bloodied sword in her hands. Her skin was drenched all over, covered entirely in blood. It looked as if she had actually gone as far as to gut someone and rub guts all over her body, but Abraham tried not to think of that, instead readying himself for attack, lowering his body to the ground and bearing his canines, wobbling on tired feet.

Chuckling, Amira turned the sword in her hands a couple of times in a show of skill.

Alas, that did her little good when another wolf seemingly fell from a nearby window, literally crushing her before savagely sinking its teeth into her, stilling as the life drained from her.

 _Nowhere to run, indeed_ Abraham thought darkly.

Smartly, he took his chance. Before the other wolf had taken its teeth from Amira's neck, he lunged, catching it off guard and throwing it a good ten feet or more away with the sheer weight of his body crashing into it. He was by far one of the tallest of the wolves and easily one of the physically strongest too, but River had always told him things like that wouldn't matter in a fight. In a real fight, she'd always told him that skill came above all else. Skill and the ability to reign yourself in.

 _You get cocky, you die._

 _You think the kill is yours, don't be so sure, not until they're dead._

He thought her advice through hard before turning and sprinting. Amira had been right, he had trapped himself in that corner, so he ran while the other wolf was still scrambling back into its feet. He heard it release a might roar behind him, then its feet as it gave chase, but he was smart. He leapt through tents and weaved where he could, hoping to lose it and find the arena.

.

.

.

.

.

River had made her way back to the arena. The scouts couldn't tell her who was still alive, but it had been confirmed that there were four of them left.

With the little time that she had to herself, she laid the eyes of the dead wolves around her shut. That was the least she could do for them. Most of them had met a more than bloody end, but that was their way. She thought about sharpening her axe a little, but a few dead wolves definitely hadn't dulled such a beautiful blade, so instead she stocked up on weapons from the other bodies and the weapons rack.

She filled her belt with throwing knives and sheathed a sword and a dagger, not wanting to weigh herself down with more. She considered a shield, but the speed and force of a wolf would destroy a shield and likely break her arm in the process, so she threw that quickly back to the ground just in time as she began to hear feet again.

Paws were coming from the East and West entrances, so she gave herself the best chance of survival and tucked herself into the East wall, hoping that the two sets of feet from that direction would run straight past her, giving her the chance to see if any of the survivors were Abraham, then she'd be able to see whoever came in through the West entrance, making targeting her kills easier.

Readying herself took little time. All she did was chance one last glance up at Lexa who was sitting on her throne with wide eyes, her hand clasped in Clarke's, unashamed. No one around noticed of course, but it was still a huge gesture. Everyone was too focused on River to notice anything. Lexa could have stripped and they still wouldn't have seen.

Finally, at the speed of light, two wolves shot into the arena, hardly giving River a second to process who was who before the wolf from the West shot in, too. All too quickly, she realised that Abraham had been the first wolf, meaning that he was in the middle with one hot on his tail and another racing toward him.

Without so much as a moment of though, River loosed two throwing knives from her belt, watching them sink into the hide of the wolf following Abraham, but that wasn't enough. It merely slowed the other wolf down and alerted it to her presence.

"Fuck." She snapped, breaking immediately into a sprint, throwing her remaining three as she went. None of them were enough and eventually the wolf from thr Western entrance collided with Abraham who was quickly thrown to the floor.

That was it.

Wulf took over, shredding River's clothes and breaking into a powerful, unimaginably speedy run.

She caught up to the wolf limping behind Abraham in a matter of second, pouncing and landing on his back, sinking her jaw into the top of the poor thing's spine, using her body weight to crush something that sounded important. That wasn't enough though, so she shook her head with her iron grip and tore out what she confirmed to be the spine, feeling the wolf's whole body melt into the floor in death.

Looking up, she saw the one sight that could either make or break her. Abraham was on his back, desperately clawing as the other wolf snapped viciously at his neck, getting closer with every snarl.

The crowd was hungry, hungry for blood. They wanted to see Wulf make another two kills. She was nothing if not a crowd-pleaser.

She, as so many of the other wolves who had charged at her had done, let out a noise that could only be described as a death toll, watching as the other wolf was distracted for just a second. Long enough for Abraham to kick desperately at its face and crawl from beneath it. Alas, as it stumbled, it landed on one of his paws and he released a high, pain filled yelp.

Both it and Wulf could see that the sheer weight of the beast had broken one of Abraham's legs. He was whimpering, in pain, easy pickings.

Wulf bolted.

Impossibly, as the wolf made it about six feet forward to finish Abraham off, Wulf had seized her moment and shot away. She bombed all the way across the arena to where she collided painfully into the other wolf, knocking them both onto and over Abraham. She fought like a rabid mongrel, keeping her body low and striking upward, never once giving so much as an inch for the other wolf to get close to Abraham.

Then, finally, it happened. She shot and grabbed the wolf's front paw, dragging it forward. It, of course, lashed out and bit clumsily into the side of her neck, but it didn't get enough of a grip, falling forward just far enough and staying down just long enough for Wulf to truly sink her teeth in. Her strike was a little off kilter and ended up being the wolf'd face, but she didn't care. She ragged it hard, shaking and biting over and over until she was tearing pieces of the dead animal away.

Eventually she stopped, but by the point all traces of River were gone.

The wolf in her was in charge, so when she turned to Abraham, she offered no sympathy. There was kindness, nor love, in her eyes, only the cold, calm, unforgiving glare of an alpha. The glare dared him to defy her, but instead, he rolled painfully onto his back, whining the whole while, and exposed his neck and belly.

A clear act of submission.

Wulf, to state her position for all who were unclear, strode over and stood directly over the black wolf, staring down. She looked down at him for possibly thirty seconds or more before deciding that enough was enough.

She stepped away, leaning down to nuzzle her clearly shaken pack mate, but there was still no fondness.

There was silence around the arena until Wulf stood tall, proud and strong. From her chest, she unleashed a howl that was surely heard around the whole of Polis, ringing through every door, every window of every house, every flap of every tent. No one would be so stupid as to question the sound, for it was well know. She was the Commander's wulf, but now she was more. The alpha of the pack who had come so far, who had travelled from the Wantri, the pack who she would lead into war.

The howls of the wolves all blended into one once the pack came together, chasing away the loved ones of the dead wolves. They were welcome to stay, but many couldn't face Wulf after having lost someone so dear to them, but she had no care for such things.

Wulf, against her every instinct, was the alpha. Only, what exactly did that mean to her now?

* * *

 **So? Thoughts?  
**  
 **I won't lie, I wrote all but the first few paragraphs in the last few hours on some coffee fuelled rampage and I've loved every second of it. I know it won't have been as exciting for you guys reading as it was for em writing, but please give me your thoughts! Who or what do you want to see more of? Anyone you think should be killed off? Just tell me what you think, nothing makes my stupid face happier than seeing that I've got a review or a message in my emails!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Okay, zero bullshit, I've got some personal stuff going on right now (and the past couple of months) so writing has been and will continue to be slow, but I haven't given up on this story! I'm going to try and get another chapter or two our in the next week or so to try and get back into the swing of things.**

 **Let it be known, I don't really like any of this chapter and the last few hundred words were rushed, so I apologise, but there are places I want this story to go that require certain things to happen first, so there may be a couple of fillers in the upcoming few, I hope they're okay though!**

* * *

When River woke, she woke alone. She was hardly shocked, but there was still a stab of pain in her chest when she rolled over and found Abraham's side of the bed empty and cold. Had he even come to bed, or had he simply left her waiting until she finally fell asleep? Well, if her aching back and tired eyes were anything to go by then he definitely hadn't been there. She slept better with him, there was no doubt.

Sighing, she rolled to sit up, wincing as the stitches on her stomach and side pulled. Lexa and Clarke had insisted on stitching her up once Wulf had handed the reigns back to River. It had taken quite some time, two and a half days to be exact, but River understood. The events surrounding her were so very lupine and needed the touch on a beast, not a haunted woman.

With slow movements, she made it to the window and looked out. The streets were dark and cold in the early hours of the morning, save of course for the few vendors who wished to set up early.

River knew where Abraham would be, but she prayed that she was wrong.

She knew that he was ashamed. He felt a heavy burden of shame at having rolled over and submitted to her, leaving his life in her hands, but that was the way of wolves. It wasn't as if River wanted the damn pack, but what choice had he left her? He had stormed in there, so head strong, and hadn't even given enough thought as to how exactly he would win. Did he really believe the shit about Kair's ghost guiding the _rightful_ alpha? Christ, River hoped not.

Alas, in his shame, Abraham had discovered moonshine.

A drunk wolf was a dangerous wolf. What hurt, though, was what Abraham had become. River was sure that he still loved her somewhere, but the shame had turned quickly to bitterness as the alcohol had seeped into his bones. Alcohol, shame and bitterness had resulted in a dark, resentful wolf. Not at all her Abraham.

She needed to find him, so she dressed herself and left her room, touching a gentle hand to the young wolf who lay outside her door. _"Kel."_ She greeted him, smiling when his tired tail wagged a little and his face displayed a sleepy grin. _"Did Abraham come up at all last night?"_ She asked him, closing and locking her door as he shook his head. _"Okay. I want you to get some sleep, okay? Tell anyone you see that I'm looking for Abraham. I won't let him drink himself away."_

With a tired but sure nod, Kel was trotting off at a happily gentle pace. He still had urgency about him, but a calm, too. River had always liked Kel, he'd always been kind to her, but until she became alpha there had never really been much reason for them to talk. As it so happened, his older brother, Jirra, had fought and died in the conclave. Kel held no ill will for River for winning, but it was clear that the twenty-something young wolf was troubled. Too troubled to sleep with the pack, resulting in him needing the physical closeness of an alpha.

Once Kel was gone, River spoke briefly with the guards outside Lexa's door, telling them to get word to her immediately if they saw Abraham, and to tell Lexa that she would be back in time for their meeting with a few of the other clans.

She trotted down the stairs with no real pace, speeding up and slowing down as her aches permitted. Once on the deserted streets of Polis, she saw a couple of wolves, each who bowed their heads to her as they too looked for Abraham.

 _"Yanni."_ River called one of them over, watching as the eager young wolf skipped over on awkwardly gangly limbs. She hadn't been turned for more than three or four months, meaning that she was still doing stupid things like sneezing and turning into a wolf, forgetting to stash clothes, falling over most of the time, but River admired her tenacity.

Yanni's coat was most a hue of browns, but a small patch of white across each of her feet like boots was the only way to tell her apart from her brother, Hiro. Of course, a look at their junk would do, but River didn't want to be looking at everyone's junk to tell who was who. _"You're looking for Abraham?"_ River asked her, watching as Yanni nodded quickly, eager to please. _"Good. With me. I think I know where he is. When we find him, you're going to call off the search, okay?"_ Again, another complicit nod.

Together, River and Yanni walked through the streets of Polis as the sun began to peak out from behind the far away mountains, filtering through the trees in streams of idyllic light.

It didn't take long at all to find Abraham, but River was silently breaking a little when she and Yanni arrived at the bar to find him staring into an empty glass, accompanied by an equally empty bottle. It only took a quick glance around the bar for River to see that Abraham was much less welcome than she was. The people were scared of him and for good reason.

For the first time, River considered that she would have to put her new title to the test and possibly punish the man she loved. "Abraham, it's time to go." Her voice was stern but caring. Loud, clear, in his native tongue. She practically heard his teeth grind.

Slowly, as if he had all the time in the world, the huge man turned. He looked over River with the uninterested eyes of a dead man, then, just to prove his lack of fucks, he turned back to his empty receptacles.

River all but felt Yanni's muscles clench. The young pup was clearly astounded. "Don't do this." River may have been pleading, but her tone was anything but. Her tone was threatening. Telling him that she wasn't to be pushed, not right now. "Don't make me do this." She then added.

Again, Abraham was brazen enough to ignore her.

An alpha who couldn't control her own lover was no alpha to be followed. She needed to make a spectacle of Abraham. It had to be seen that this behaviour would not be tolerated, not in her pack. _"Hiro, Reggie and Jaks. I want them here. Now."_ River's words were for Yanni this time.

Bile began to rise in River's throat as Yanni trotted off quickly, returning equally as quickly with the three wolves River had asked for. _"Boys,"_ She started, ensuring that her face didn't show the absolute onslaught of emotions that were flowing through her in that moment. _"I think Abraham needs some help leaving the establishment. Take him to the arena. Ignoring me isn't the fun game he thinks it is."_

Naturally, the three of them moved in time with their alpha's command. They approached Abraham somewhat cautiously, two in human forms and one in his wolf's fur. Abraham, to give him his due, fought well with a broken arm, but not well enough.

Five minutes later, River and the rest of the pack were in the arena, everyone watching as she stood a few feet from a wobbly Abraham. "Kneel." She ordered. All she really needed from him was a genuine show of submission, something that she could show to the rest of the pack as an excuse not to hurt him.

Alas, the drunk man scoffed. "Or what?" He challenged, a fire in the pits of his usually calm eyes.

River's face hardened. He really wasn't making this easy. "Abraham, for your sake, kneel."

"Or. What." He spat, staggering a few spaces forwards and grabbing River by the sides of her jacket. The usually kind and caring man who had made love to her so many times was nowhere to be found in this vile husk of a man, but it still made River's breath hitch and her heart fail her as she thrust a concealed blade into his side, feeling the pain herself as he yelped and stumbled backwards, shocked.

 _"My word is law!"_ River's voice boomed loudly to all the wolves and was met with silence. Two or three of the faces around her looked horrified, but most understood when they saw the knife. _"I will be a fair alpha to you all, but you must be fair pack members to me. Follow my commands and you will be rewarded. Ignore them and you will be punished. Simple."_

And it was simple, just not for Abraham.

River turned to where two of Lexa's guards had been watching and nodded to get their attention. _"Take him to the cells. Let him sober up down there and bring the key only to myself or to Heda. No one else."_

It killed River to do this, but it was what he needed. If he was to be at her side when they went to war then he needed to be sober and have a clear head on his shoulders. They clearly had a lot to talk about, just not while moonshine was clogging every part of his brain from making rational decisions about and for the pack.

This whole ordeal had taken longer than expected, but River still needed to be there when Lexa and the clans nearest Azgeda lands met. There needed to be talk of what would happen the next time Nia's army marched. Would it be allowed to pass, or would it be met head on with force?

She marched up the stairs of Polis' tower to where she could hear Lexa and Anya talking, all but bursting through the doors before remembering herself. _"Forgive the intrusion, Heda."_ She grumbled, seeing slight amusement in Lexa's eyes. Thank goodness.

Lexa waved a hand dismissively before nodding to the table that already had a small number of ambassadors and their consultants seated around it, Skaikru included. _"We have larger matters at hand. Remember to knock next time."_ Lexa's words were for show, both she and River knew, but River also knew that Lexa couldn't give her any special treatment. Some people didn't mind since they were still wowed by the magic of the wolves, but others were unsure of the species as a whole and therefore had mixed feelings about Lexa's treatment of them. It varied. _"Sit. I ask that you translate for Skaikru, if you will?"_

 _"Of course, Heda, I would be honoured."_ River agreed quickly, though it wasn't exactly a question. Alas, her mind was stuck on Abraham. How could she possibly get through to him when he refused to so much as look at her? She knew, of course, that the drinking had to be stopped first in order to clear his head, but she felt pure, genuine terror in her gut at the possibility that they may never share the same bond again that they had always seemed to have.

Pushing her thoughts aside, River took her seat between Marcus Kane and one of the Delphikru ambassadors.

The meeting, to River's annoyance, passed far too quickly. She needed time to get her head straight about everything, but damn time was simply flying by. It had been hours since she had sent Abraham away, but she was still no closer with knowing what to do with him. That was exactly how she ended up sitting at the edge of Lexa's bed as her sister changed into more comfortable clothes than her meeting attire.

 _"The meeting went well, no?"_ Lexa asked, either unaware of River's inner turmoil or unsure of how to bring it up.

River, not bothered which it was, nodded. _"Yes."_ She answered absently, quickly checking herself and clearing her throat. _"Very well. As well as you could have hoped for."_ Alas, before long, she was lost once more to her own mind.

 _"Your wolves, they are ready for war?"_ Lexa got no answer. Was River even listening? She got a small nod, but nothing more. _"Your wolves are rabid, no?"_ Nothing. _"I should offer you to Nia and marry Roan."_ Again, nothing. That was it. _"Riva!"_

River, to give her credit, bolted upright and pulled a dagger between Lexa and the door so quickly that no threat would have made it even a foot. She looked around, confused, before looking to Lexa. _"What?"_

 _"My plan. For Nia."_

River's mind reeled. Plan? Shit. She hadn't been listening. _"Yes."_ She answered surely. _"The perfect plan, Leksa. She will never see it coming."_

That, however, was when Lexa's face cracked, seeping a smile onto her face. _"So you shall be my gift to her?"_

 _"What?"_

 _"I said that I shall marry Roan in the name of peace. You will be my offering-"_

 _"Leksa!"_ River couldn't help but smile too as she snarled, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at her sibling who, to River's displeasure, caught it with ease and sent it flying back. The wolf allowed the attack, letting the pillow fall to the floor. _"Forgive me, sister. My mind- I assure you, I am listening."_

Still chuckling, the two women took spots beside one another at the head of the bed, this time with River's arm over the headboard. She knew that Lexa could not let anyone see their embrace for fear of seeming weak, but River assured her that she would hear anyone coming. So, together, the sisters leaned into one another. _"In a few short weeks, Polis will be a battle ground."_ Lexa stated glumly, her tone making River's spirit sink a little.

The older of the two, feeling the sadness, shook her head. _"No."_ She stated into the air, letting the word hang alone for a moment before speaking again. _"You are the greatest commander we have had. Nia knows this, this is why she hopes to unnerve you. The fight will never make it to these gates for as long as we strike hard and true."_

 _"And fast."_

 _"Yes. And fast."_

 _"And the wolves?"_

River sighed. _"The wolves will be there for as long as they follow me. I will forever be by your side, sister."_

 _"And I at yours."_ Lexa spoke firmly, leaving no room for discussion. River, however, feared that this battle would be their last together. She had felt them growing apart ever since she revealed who she was. Of course, there was a difference between letting a dog sleep at the foot of your bed, thinking it didn't know when you and your other half were getting frisky, and letting your sister do the same. River truly did understand, she was just fearful of what it meant.

What would the Commander's wulf be without her Commander?

* * *

 **Please please please give me your thoughts etc, give me a reason to keep this going! Feel free to ask me anything at all even if it's not related and I'll do my beat to answer, just let me know you're reading!**


	18. Chapter 18

**I chatted a fair amount of crap in the last chapter about how I had places for this story to go, and I do, but I decided to skip something that I was otherwise keen on because I saw an opportunity somewhere in here. It's still something I can do later though, just under different circumstances. Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

For many years, Lexa had ruled with Wulf by her side. It was strange no longer having her, instead having a sister. It didn't bother her, but it was, of course, strange. She no longer had the intimidation factor of having a huge, seemingly blood-thirsty wolf behind her, pushing her words into peoples' ears with every snarl. No, now she had to rule with the knowledge that the whole of Polis knew that the wolves were more than just uncivilised beasts.

Would that help in the war? She hoped so.

That very morning, River had sprinted from Lexa's side with a sorry glance as one of the younger wolves ran towards them with wide eyes and quick words. There was a threat of some kind, something that Lexa had been assured didn't involve her. She hoped it didn't, she had enough on her plate as it was.

Over eggs and rabbit steaks, Lexa and Titus spoke. He told her of his concerns when it came to Clarke, the wolves, anything else that he believed to be a threat to Lexa. She all but rolled her eyes, thankful to have Anya standing in the corner, confirming with snorts every so often that she wasn't crazy.

It was hard to bring change to Polis when so many pushed so hard back against it.

Was it so wrong that she wanted to love? Surely not. Of course, Titus had lots to say when it came to Clarke. He was sure that the blonde would turn on Lexa. He was sure that she would lead her people against Lexa. He was sure that Clarke would, somehow or other, be the death of Lexa.

Lexa thought him a bitter fool. She didn't tell him as such, but she definitely didn't take his words to heart.

Then, to brighten her morning, in strode Clarke and out slinked Anya. Alone, finally. This thought, Lexa voiced.

There was something about this blonde enchantress. Surely it was magic? It must have been. If men and women could take the forms of wolves, then surely there was magic elsewhere. It was not so far-fetched to think that these feelings were more than what they seemed. Magic, Lexa knew, was the only explanation.

Alas, Clarke was not there to talk about their feelings. "You are leaving?" Lexa was stumped.

The blonde's eyes softened. "Not leaving." She chastised gently. "My people, they need me. They need my mother. They need Marcus-"

"And me?" Lexa knew she was being childish, but after a full breakfast of hearing Titus condemn her love, could she not just enjoy it a little longer? "What of me, Clarke? I need you."

This time, Clarke's eyes changed. They were amused. "You need me?" Wait, was she _teasing_ Lexa? "Lexa, we're about to fight a war. A real war-"

"I have fought many."

"Well... I mean, this is my first war. Other than the Mountain."

Ah yes, the Mountain. Lexa would never forget leaving Clarke to face the threat alone. Neither would she forget the disgust in Wulf's eyes. The only time her trusty wolf had ever looked at her like that. She had made Clarke face her first war alone, though she had thankfully not made her finish it alone. It was strange though, she and River had never spoken really about that day. Her sister had pulled that switch in the Mountain, but at the time Lexa hadn't known that she was more than an obedient animal. Did she regret it, she wondered.

"I don't want to go." Clarke admitted softly, drawing Lexa from her thoughts. "My people are scared. They're hearing talks of war and all of their leaders are here in Polis. I- Please understand, I need to be with them."

Lexa, of course, understood. She would have left Camp Jaha to lead her army, so she could expect no more or less from Clarke. "I understand." She stated in a small voice.

"Lexa-"

"No, Clarke. I understand. Truly. I do."

First she lost Wulf. Next she lost River. Now she was losing Clarke. What was going on with her? Where were these damned people going?

With a small, childish huff, Lexa turned from Clarke. She didn't know what had her acting so petulantly, but there she was, sulking towards her throne and hearing a small huff from Clarke, then footsteps echoing away as the blonde left the irrational brunette alone.

 _"Fuck."_ Lexa snarled in Trigedasleng. What on earth was she doing? Pushing Clarke away wasn't going to stop her from leaving. If anything, it would do the exact opposite.

Quickly, she left the throne room, glad to find Anya standing immediately outside the door. _"Find Riva. Tell her to come to me immediately."_ With that said, she didn't bother looking for Clarke, instead storming up the many stairs to her room. She wondered, what were the chances that she'd find enough uninterrupted time for a good, long bath?

Not damn likely.

.

.

.

.

.

Done peeing, Abraham shook quickly before tucking himself away and pulling his less than clean pants back up, wishing that they had a fly so he could avoid pulling them down all together.

For a number of days now he had been locked in the dungeons below the Tower. All thanks to River.

Did Abraham hate River? Well, no. Of course not. After all, he'd loved her for so many years; those feelings hadn't melted into hate. They had, however, changed. He felt more than just those good emotions now. He saw her flaws. Each wrinkle in her skin, each scab and blister, each hair out of place.

He was humiliated. Forced to roll onto his back and submit in front of half of Polis.

How could she not see what she'd forced onto him? Had their positions been reversed, he was sure that he would have been fair. He would have needed submission in order to spare her life, as any sane alpha would, but it was the way she did it. Surely his weakened state should have been enough, but no. She had him rolling around like some pup.

He was a wolf, dammit, not some fresh meat that wanted to lap at Alpha's feet.

Alas, amongst the feelings of betrayal and hurt, there was still love. He still knew that she did all that she did to save him, but surely she could have just laid on the floor for long enough for him to stand? She could have given him the win, right? Of course she could have, and they both knew who the better born leader was. A hint: it wasn't the one roaming freely.

Of course, Abraham knew that no respecting wolf would have followed him if he had just been handed the position, so again, he knew that things hadn't been easy for River. She hadn't ever wanted to lead, but then there they both were. She was off doing whatever she was doing, while he was trying to tell himself that the bucket of piss in the corner of his cell didn't smell as bad as his nose was telling him.

It reeked.

To say that he was confused would have been a dire understatement. His feelings went every which way and the only way to get any damn peace was with a bottle in his hand. A few good strong drinks did the trick, but no one seemed to enjoy that. Well, no one but him. He loved finally not hearing the damn voice in his head telling him what a wuss he was. As if losing his family to River's own hand wasn't enough, now he heard his father's great displeasure in the front of his mind every time he so much as thought about her.

Chuckling, Abraham thought back to when River had suggested that the two of them leave together after the conclave. That they leave whichever idiot takes the pack. He scoffed quietly to himself. He would have been a wiser man to have nodded his head and forget about the pack for once. He sure wouldn't have been pissing into a bucket in a dungeon, no, he would have been fucking River in the woods. They would have been together, happy, but no.

What had he done to them both?

With a sigh, Abraham paced his small cell before huffing and dropping down onto the tiny, uncomfortable cot that was made up of wooden crates -usually used for moving crops- flipped on their bottoms and a meagre blanket left atop them. Laying on them hurt, truly hurt, but Abraham was exhausted. Thoroughly.

He wasn't sure exactly what time of day it was, but judging by the plate of slop on the floor, it was at least midday. It seemed that he got fed once a day, though that may have been due to him throwing everything up when his gut was still full of liquor.

The food looked less that appealing and that was being polite. It looked much the same on the way out again, no matter which route it took.

He had no idea what he'd say to River when she finally came to release him. Would it be anger that overtook his body, or would words of love fall from his chapped lips?

.

.

.

.

.

Sighing deeply through her nose, Clarke looked from beneath her hood between her waiting mother and the tower that housed the other woman she loved. She knew which one she would rather be with in that moment, but after her talk with Lexa went so poorly, she knew what had to be done. She had to protect her people and help them prepare for war, even if it meant leaving Lexa in the process.

Alas, that didn't make mounting her horse on the other side of the gates any easier.

Lexa had, of course, granted them fast horses for their travels, but Clarke had been noticeably disappointed to see that her lover had not been there to hand the animals over.

Things didn't seem to go her way, that much was sure of late. Well, her time with Lexa had been wonderful, but not so much in the throne room. She understood how hard it was for Lexa to open up, especially how hard it must have been to ask her to stay like that, but she couldn't. It was a simple fact.

 _"Klark!"_ Her name, yelled from the gates, brought her attention back. That was how Lexa said her name, no one else, only, those green eyes that met hers weren't Lexa's. Almost, but not quite.

Damn. "River." Clarke greeted somewhat tensely

River, clearly ruffled, didn't so much as look at anyone else. Instead, she went immediately to Clarke's horse, grabbing the bridle when the wary animal began to step away, stilling it in place. "I would appreciate a word." River stated, looking up at the blonde. Nothing about her told Clarke that she had any choice.

"Clarke-"

"It's okay, Mom." Abby had sounded worried, of course, but Clarke was quick to meet her mother's eyes with her own. "I trust River." She then added, dismounting and following when the alpha turned and began to walk into the woods.

Together, the Commander's lover and the Commander's wolf walked into the woods. River lead the way and Clarke followed. They barely walked for even a minute before River was stopping and turning. "You're leaving?" It wasn't really a question, more of an accusation.

"I have to. My people need-"

"Lexa needs you."

Clarke couldn't help but scoff. "Lexa wants me here. She doesn't _need_ me here."

River's eyes narrowed, and for a fraction of a second, Clarke felt unsafe. "I don't like you."

"What-"

"Shush."River's tone, despite her words, wasn't annoyed. It was as if she simply wanted to say her piece and leave. "I don't like you. I don't like your people. I don't like Titus. I don't like most of my pack. I don't like most people. I don't specifically not like you, but I don't specifically like you either."

"Thank... you?" Clarke mumbled, unsure. What was she meant to take from that? That her lover's sister who turned into a wolf didn't like her?

Sighing, River narrowed her eyes at the blonde. "Lexa loves you." She stated, looking expectantly at Clarke as if that made everything clear.

Clarke, however, began to stammer. "I-"

River rolled her eyes. "Lexa loves you. I love my sister, truly, more than anything. I gave up my human form for well over half her life, just to lie beside her throne. I would do anything for her. I would kill _anyone_ for her. Even you."

Then, Clarke's heart began to drum. What was going on? Surely River wasn't there to kill her, right? But oh god, she could definitely do it. Clarke wouldn't ever say aloud, but Lexa was by far the less deadly of the sisters. "River, wait- I swear to you-"

"I would also die for her. For you. You understand me?" She took a menacing step forwards that had Clarke backing into a tree. Wait, was she frightened?

"No." She gasped honestly.

Unsure exactly how to talk to her, River sighed. It looked like it was time to lay it all out there as straight as she could. "I don't care much for you as a person. I respect what you did in the Mountain. You and I, we fought together, and as a warrior I respect you for that, but I don't know you as a person. Who you are. What motivates you. All that I know is that Lexa loves you more than she has the ability to say. You may not think that she _needs_ you here, but you are wrong. She needs a reason to make hard calls. She needs to have someone to talk to at the end of a long day. She needs someone who will let her be human, for even just a second."

Just as quickly a Clarke's heart had panicked, it had slowed again. She had always known how close River and Lexa were, even when the former was just a wolf, but hearing it aloud was different. Hearing that River had respect for _her_ , though, was kind of endearing in a strange way. "I... River, I can't just- I mean-"

"Clarke." River's tone held no room for bullshit.

"I... River." Clarke tried to match her, truly she did, but a human who turned into a wolf was hard to match.

"Your people have leaders. Your mother and Marcus Kane are leaders enough, no? All you and Lexa will do is worry for one another, so stay." It shocked Clarke to her core when it came to her that River was pleading with her, but that was indeed what was happening, and with such sincerity. "If you leave, just know that Lexa will order me to follow. If she does this, then I shall, but how can I command a pack of wolves and prepare to fight beside Lexa if I am nowhere near either of them?" And there was the guilt.

Clarke stumbled for words, her mind a mess. "What would I even say? To my mother?"

River, no help at all, simply shrugged. "That, Clarke, is not for me to figure out. Just be in Lexa's room as quickly as you can be. I know that she would like to apologise for her actions of late."

.

.

.

.

.

River, having left Clarke to deal with her mother almost a half hour ago, found herself free of all duties and somehow with time on her hands. Aware, she decided that there was a tough visit to be made.

Abraham.

Thankful to have no distractions somehow, she made quick steps to the base of the Tower, not stopping for the guard who fumbled to unlock the huge door for her. Luckily for him, he managed to swing it open in time as her lithe frame surged through with no regard for his panic. Then, however, she stopped, because there he was.

For some reason, River had expected that he'd be in a further cell, possibly a larger one, but having not visited meant that she hadn't seen him, nor had she seen his conditions.

When she opened her mouth, however, no words found their way to her lips. "River." Abraham, thankfully, had found his voice. He was filthy and sweaty, covered in God knows what, smelling worse than a literal pig in shit. He was unshaven, his eyes were circled harshly in black, unforgiving tired bags, but those eyes. River almost cried. There was no hatred there.

Naturally, she had expected something, but she was thankful that it wasn't hate. She couldn't quite pin what it was, but she didn't care. He _didn't_ hate her, that was enough.

 _"Ibrahim."_ She breathed, seeing nothing but him in that moment. Then, however, she woke to his conditions. "I- I-"

"I know." He grumbled hoarsely. There was anger beside the understanding in his eyes.

 _"Unlock that door."_ She told the guard, absolution in her tone.

The poor man was clearly confused and showed as such, tilting his head in a strangely lupine gesture. _"But-"_

 _"Now."_ He may have been confused, but the good chap clearly wasn't stupid.

 _"Yes. Yes, ma'am."_

Almost as soon as the door swung open, Abraham's hulking form was standing the other side of it, stepping out with haste, as if to ensure he was not shut away in it for a second longer than he had to be. Then, as if none of this ridiculous conclave business had even happened, the couple came together in an embrace. Together, they inhaled, one recoiling at the stench and the other finding home.

"River."

"Abraham."

Just as quickly as they had come together, they parted, stepping one step back from one another.

Sighing tiredly, River looked up at the man whom she still loved, silently begging him to understand that she didn't need any trouble right now. "Come up to my room with me? I'll have a bath drawn for you. Some fresh clothes?"

Abraham stiffened at her words, clearly mulling things over before he spoke. "Is that an order?" He asked grouchily, seeming for a second as if he would rather step back into his cell than go anywhere with River.

"Yes." She replied simply, the wolf in her daring him to say a word out of turn.

For an unbearably long second, their eyes locked. Then, tiredly, Abraham dropped River's gaze. Submission. "Okay."

River's next sigh was one of relief. "We have much to discuss." She told him, leading him up onto the streets of Polis to stand beside the Tower.

"We do?" Abraham asked, his voice sounding unsure.

Chuckling, she nodded. "Of course. But first, a bath." He truly did stink.

Without another word of complaint, together, they climbed the stairs. River found herself wondering what kind of mess they'd gotten themselves into, but she always knew that this war would come, she had just never thought she'd be leading any party in it, no matter the size."

When they reached River's room and swung open the door, Abraham spoke again, this time firmly. "I'm going to need time." He said, quickly stripping his shirt in anticipation of a bath.

"Time?" River queried. Time for what?

Chuckling humourlessly, Abraham nodded. "I always followed you. No questions asked. Now... now I have to. I have no choice. You took your place above me and I had to submit to survive. You have no idea how I felt that day, so I- I need time. To get back to how we were. To be with you again. To follow you."

For a long moment, River mulled over his words. He needed time. Sure. They both did, didn't they? "I always thought you'd make a good leader. You've always been kind for as long as I've known you. Strong, kind, fair. You're everything an alpha should be, but when we leave it to a conclave to decide who our alpha is, it doesn't come down to who's the best fit for the pack-"

"I know that-"

"Do you? Do you know?" She scoffed, unable to stop herself. "I never wanted this! You think I _wanted_ for my wolf to step up and take the pack? Hell no! I jumped into that arena to save your life, not to compete for some-"

A noise, louder than anything that Polis usually had to offer, rang out, silencing all within the Tower's walls.

"Fuck!" Abraham cursed, panicked. At the noise, despite his terror, he had grabbed River's arm. "What- what was that?"

She had done the same, clutching at him with eyes as wide as saucers. Her mind was racing. That noise, what had it been? Surely not what she had thought? "Was that a-"

"A gun?" Abraham's face showed just as much fear and uncertainty as her own, but that just unhinged River. Oh no. A gun.

Silence Ripped into them both, leaving nothing, not even the sounds of their breaths.

"Lexa." River mumbled, thinking who exactly would be the primary target for someone with a gun. Then, finally, the shock was gone and it hit her. "Lexa!"

 _Lexa._

* * *

 **Lexa. Sweet, sweet Lexa. I will admit, the shot in the show was by far my least favourite moment, but I couldn't help myself! I hope anyone who reads enjoyed the chapter despite this, but hopefully you did and you're reading this and waiting for the next chapter. I'll try not to take too long, just please let me know what you're thinking.**

 **Have a grand day.**


	19. Chapter 19 - Re-uploaded

**I think this is officially the shortest chapter yet, but it was more important to me to get this little one out than writing a longer one. I feel like this is a good place to hold things for a while if I don't post again soon, but obviously it's also easy to just shoot off from if I do continue writing more often than I have been doing.**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Titus, that bald fool, had made a truly terrible mistake.

At first, upon arriving up the stairs, River had been inconsolable. The first thing she did was storm through the open door and grab Clarke Griffin by the throat, forcing her against a wall. It was almost as if she hadn't even seen herself walk straight over Lexa, who was gasping desperately for breath, her shirt soaked in thick, black blood.

Then, from River's unbridled panic, came the silence. She took note of those in the room. Titus, Clarke, Marcus Kane, Abigain Griffin, Indra, Anya, her, Abraham and somehow Kel. Somehow, River knew in her heart that this wasn't Clarke's work.

Without a single word, she took Lexa in her arms and carried her to the double bed. _"Lock the doors. No one comes in. No one goes out."_ Kel was quick to follow her instructions, locking the doors behind Abraham and standing at them, ready to attack anyone who burst through.

Everyone in the room worked quickly. Even Titus had the balls to try and help. Then, however, Clarke snapped. The young woman grabbed the first thing she could and swung it heavily at the flame keeper's head. He fell pathetically to the floor and didn't even attempt to stand again, instead keeping his eyes cast down and his body low to the floor.

No one moved to help him and in that instant River knew. It had been him. That fool had finally done something unforgivable.

All of that being said, River didn't care, not right now. She didn't have the strength to care about anything in that moment that wasn't Lexa's immediate safety. "Save her." River growled, looking directly at Abigail Griffin, who, until then, had been looking somewhat uselessly at the limp, young Commander.

It was as if a switch flipped in the doctor. All of a sudden, she was grabbing Clarke's hand, silently begging that she not beat the bald man to death. "I can't save her alone." She told her daughter with eyes that begged for help. That begged her not to kill yet another person.

"Titus' life is mine." River's voice was flat, hollow. Dead.

Thankfully, Abby got to work and no one made a move to protest. "We need to stop the bleeding. If we don't then she's going to bleed out. Clarke, find me..." River stopped listening as Abby began to reel items off at her daughter, instead choosing to bury her face in Lexa's hair, clamping a hand hard over the wound.

"What happened?" Indra barked, her hand firmly wrapped around the handle of her favourite blade, ready to strike. "Speak true." She then growled, looking at Marcus Kane for the truth.

"I was coming to tell Lexa that I was going to stay." Clarke's voice, as she spoke, turned to cries. Tears struck her face, pricking in her eyes before sliding down her porcelain cheeks and falling on her hands as she worked to help Lexa. "I- I only came in here to get some things. Lexa came to help me but Titus was already here. He- oh god."

"He shot at Clarke and missed." Kane explained. "He planned to kill Clarke, but his aim... well, he's not trained in handling our weapons. Lexa was coming through the door that Clarke was about to leave through. Abby and I met Lexa in the hall. We were a few feet behind-"

"Then he dies." Abraham snarled, starting towards the bald coward. "Death by a thousand cuts, no?"

"No!" Abby snapped desperately. "Forget him, just- we all need to help Lexa. She's losing blood too quickly. Clarke, I think we need to do a transfusion. Do you know her blood type?"

"Natblida." River answered immediately. " _Leksa_ is natblida-"

"We don't know what that means for her blood type, Mom." Clarke's voice was more than just worried now. It was devastated. "I can't lose her." She then bawled.

"River." Abraham's voice, sharp and important, cut across the room. "We need to talk."

River, like everyone else, couldn't believe it. "It can wait." River barked.

Abraham, however, shook his head. _"You can save her."_ He didn't want to raise anyone's hopes, but it was true, wasn't it? _"The bite can save her. If you turn her... at least she'll have a chance."_

 _"I can't."_

 _"You and I know she won't make it. They won't get her more blood in time. The only way to give her a fighting chance is to-"_

 _"It could kill her!"_

 _"Or it could save her!"_

"What are you saying?" Clarke demanded. Her patience was clearly growing thin.

River levelled Abraham with a daring glare, but she too quickly saw his logic. "Lexa is dying." She stated, noticing the stall in Clarke's movements for a second. "But she doesn't have to. One of us could turn her."

"It's her greatest chance at survival." Abraham added. It was strange given that he was still filthy and stank like nobody's business, but no one seemed to notice.

 _"Abomination."_ Titus spat, literally spitting blood at the floor. "Heda's blood is **pure** , you cannot-"

Anya, however, silenced him with a sharp kick to the chest. "Do it." She growled. "Lexa has a war to lead, she cannot live her life from the grave."

Abraham and River shared a worried look. "She won't be ready to fight by the time the war comes."

Scoffing, Anya threw her hands into the air. "What does that mean?"

"Enough!" Clarke bellowed. Every, even Titus, looked at her. She was looking down at Lexa though. The woman she loved, who's eyes may never open again. "We have to give her a fighting chance and... we don't have enough to save her here."

Some sick feeling settled in River's stomach. Was this really happening. "I don't know if I can do it." She admitted aloud, looking up to Abraham for help.

"Alpha," Came the voice of the only silent party in the room. Kel. The young wolf who so wished to impress. "I- Please forgive me f-for-"

"Speak, Kel. Quickly."

"My mother and brother. I turned them. I was lonely and Kair allowed it. I... I can turn her, if you so wish it."

"Do it." Clarke breathed. "Help her."

Kel was still looking at River though. His alpha's word was final, not Clarke's. At her nod though, he moved. "No." River then said, abruptly stopping him with an extended arm and an expression that went beyond pain. "It should be me. Of the pack, it should be me."

for years, River had sat aside Lexa's throne, wearing the skin of a mighty wolf. For those years, she had never once thought that she could lose Lexa to a bullet, much less one fired by one of her own people. It would have been madness to so much as think it. As time had passed, Wulf had worried that she would lose Lexa to war. They fought so very well together, but neither went into a war certain that they would walk out again, so Wulf knew that their chances were never certain.

Looking down at Lexa, River wondered what kind of a life she would be forcing upon her. Would Lexa even wake again, or would the fever take her?

The only way to know if the turn would take her was to just do it. To create the Commander's wulf.

* * *

 **Soooooo...? Any thoughts?**

 **Full disclosure: I haven't decided whether I'm going to save Lexa or not yet, so when I say it's up to you guys to convince me, I really do mean it! Want Lexa to life? Tell me! Want Clarke to be miserable and lonely? I can do that too! Honestly just let me know, seeing the word "review" in my emails brightens up my entire week!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hi, all! First off, absolutely massive massive thank you to the guest review who told me that I'd actually uploaded Ch14 in place of Ch19, so sorry about that for those of you who read it and got confused! I've since uploaded the correct Ch19, so obviously just pop back a chapter if you're here and haven't read that yet. Anyway, we're here now, so I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Lexa's chest rose and fell. She looked, other than the wound on her stomach, just as if she was a sleeping girl in that moment. You could see no scars of war, there were no hints of the strain that leadership had taken upon her body. She was simply a young woman, sleeping into the later hours of the morning, embraced in the arms of her lover.

Clarke, however, looked anything but peaceful. In fact, it even seemed that she had aged overnight. She hadn't slept a single second and, upon looking around the room, couldn't understand how any of the others had. Of course, Wulf lay awake at the foot of the bed, a single paw resting over Clarke's leg to touch Lexa. It was strangely comforting, but other than the two of them, everyone else had managed sleep.

Titus had been bound and tied to a hanging light fixture by Abraham. Despite the position, he had fallen asleep quickly once Wulf had stopped growling at him. It made Clarke sick. All of this, this whole situation, all of it was his fault, yet he slept like a hanging baby with no cares in the world.

Anya and Indra, despite their efforts, had drifted into sleep not long after sitting beside one another on the small and uncomfortable couch that looked somewhat ridiculous beneath two such warriors. In another time, Clarke would have laughed and drawn the image when alone, possibly even presenting it to Lexa, but not tonight.

To give them their due, they hadn't so much as taken a seat until Kel and Abraham had each taken a small nap. Neither had wanted to, but Abraham had swiftly taken charge over the younger man as soon as River had become Wulf, who had only been conversing in snarls when someone came too close to Lexa. Clarke had been more than amazed to have even been allowed to wipe sweat from her brow, let alone get onto the bed, but she knew not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Abby and Kane, well, Clarke wasn't too sure what she thought of them. Her mother, being a doctor, needed her sleep. It was imperative that she be on her best game and well rested on the off-chance that something happened to Lexa in the night. Marcus though? Well, Clarke would have appreciated another watch, that was all.

As the sun crested, putting light and life into Polis' streets, it became clear, to Clarke at least, that something needed to be said. The people of Polis would be confused to not see Lexa, plus she was sure that many of them had heard the gunshot. They had been so worried about protecting Lexa that they hadn't thought to spread the message of safety that should have come quickly from their mouths.

That being said, the blonde wanted nothing more than to sink her face into the brunette's hair and breathe her in. She wished that it was so simple as to kiss a wound to heal it. She would have even given Lexa her life if she could have done. She knew, wholly, that this was love. This was the full throttle, powerful, all consuming love that all of the books and crapppy shows on the Ark had been talking about it. She wondered though, was all lough so tough? She had seen her father die at her mother's hand. She had seen Maya die at Wulf's maw. She had watched Gustus' love for Lexa kill him. She had seen Abraham and River almost tear one another apart.

Was all love destined to be nothing but pain?

Before Clarke could think too much on it, Abraham stood from his spot near the door, stretching out his sore muscles. He turned, looking first to Wulf, then to Clarke when the white wolf's eyes refused to stray from Lexa. "I'm going to River's room. I need to bathe and we all need some food and drinks. I'll take Kel with me, so you'll need to wake Anya and Indra." His eyes went again to Wulf, but still got nothing. "We should think about us all moving into Lexa's room. It'll be more comfortable for her and it's a much safer room strategically."

Kel and Abraham left a moment later after receiving a nod from Clarke. Kel seemed confused, having gotten no approval from Wulf, but Abraham's hand on his shoulder seemed to be enough comfort as they exited the room and shut the door behind them.

Clarke did as Abraham had suggested, waking Indra and Anya. Both of the women were quick to take guard by the door, wiping the sleep from their eyes and apologising for falling asleep. Anya asked how Lexa was, nodding when Clarke relayed Abraham's thoughts of moving the wounded commander.

It took quite some effort, but together, Clarke, Kane and Anya managed to slide Lexa gently from the bed onto the waiting back of Wulf who, once standing at her full height, bowed her head and walked as gently as she could, careful not to knock her sister against any walls or doors on the way to her room. Letting the others so much as touch Lexa was hard to say the least, but she knew that there was only so much she could do alone.

Upon Abraham's return, he and Kel were pleased to see everyone awake and looking as refreshed as could be expected. Lexa looked to have been placed comfortably atop her bed, surrounded by River and Clarke. All of the furs that were usually there had been removed and placed on the floor to be used by any of the others.

Abraham half expected to see River in her human skin, bu no. He didn't need to see her wolf though. He understood that this was all a lot to deal with, but the pack needed someone strong, not whatever this was.

So as not to draw any unwanted attention, he set all of the food down and rounded the bed, making it seem as if he was simply going to sit beside his alpha, but when everyone was consumed by food, he leaned down and placed a hand on Wulf's shoulder. "Lexa needs her sister." He stated firmly but quietly. "And the pack needs a leader."

Other than the twitch of her ears, there was no tell that she had even heard him. He clenched his jaw and shook his head for a second. "People will notice that they're not seeing Lexa. We need to keep her here for three days or more without the people panicking. Then, if she turns, we need to help people adjust to her while she learns to-"

Wulf stopped him with a snarl, turning to face him with a snap of her teeth. Her hears fell flat back against her head, a growl rumbled around in her chest and her eyes narrowed harshly on his face. He was smart enough to drop his gaze to the ground and bow his head. Sadly, everyone had now stopped to glance over

In but a second though, Wulf's growling had ceased and she was making a light chuffing sound, puffing air heavily at Abraham. It was, he knew, an invitation to look up. By the time his eyes had come back up, Wulf was releasing a large breath and, with closed eyes, breathing steadily until finally the skin of a woman was sitting on the bed. At that, everyone had manners enough to look away, but Abraham's eyes were firmly on River's once they opened again. "When." She said softly.

"What?"

"When she turns." River confirmed. "Because she will. She has to."

Abraham nodded quickly. "When she turns."

"And what would you have me do? I have a pack to lead. My sister is turning. Polis is temporarily without a commander for the first time. We are to go to war in perhaps a week or two. Again, with no commander? So, tell me, _Ibrahim_ , what do you think I should do?"

"I understand that you have a lot to think about, River-"

"Do you?"

"Of course I-"

"Do you?" River scoffed, chuckling to herself. Still naked.

Abraham set his jaw firmly. "I-"

"I'm sorry that you hate me." River growled, standing up so quickly that she knocked Abraham to the ground. He fell with a heavy thud, picking himself up just as River passed him and grabbed a jacket and pair of shorts. She was quick to pull them both on, zipping the jacket up just far enough that her breasts weren't at risk of being exposed.

"Hate you?" Abraham demanded. "River, I don't hate you!"

River shook her head with a smirk. "No? Then what have you been doing since the conclave? I have been trying to control a pack and _you_ have been drinking!"

"And you punished me thoroughly for that!" Abraham snapped. "I don't hate you, River! I hate _this_. This stupid situation. The fucking conclave. All of it! Not you... I- How could you think I hated you?"

River, for a moment, was taken aback. "How could I not?" She voiced loudly. She did't care that everyone in the room was so obviously listening to them. "You were going to die in there. I entered to keep you safe. I didn't want to lead a pack and neither did you, so why have you been acting like this? I won the conclave, I spared your life, and now we both have to live with it. So tell me, Abraham, when you have acted the way you have, how could I possibly think that you don't hate me?"

"Because I love you." River knew the first words out of his mouth to be true, but she could feel that there was more to follow. "I'm not afraid to submit to you. I submitted to Allik and when he died I submitted to Kair. Kair is gone now and we needed an alpha; we needed someone who would have the pack's interests at heart and we both know that isn't you. You're proving right now that even when we need you, your first priority is Lexa."

This time, River was silent.

"I'm not blaming you." Abraham added softly. "She's your sister, but we're your pack. You're our alpha and that means something. I-"

"Then take it." River snarled, anger finding her.

"What?" Abraham blurted, confused.

"The title." River affirmed. "If you think I'm doing such a terrible job, come and relieve me of my post. Unless you're scared?"

"River, stop."

"Why? Who's going to stop me? It's clearly not going to be you." To emphasise, River stepped over and shoved Abraham. The large man stumbled, confused. "Come on, Abraham." She growled, stepping closer and pushing him again, this time making him stumble into the bed's post.

"River, enough."

Another shove.

"Why? Come on! Fight!"

"River-"

"If you think I'm so-"

"River-"

"Abraham-"

"Enough!" The anger in Abraham's voice shook the room as his arm shot out and his fist closed around the front of River's jacket, slamming her into a nearby wall. She didn't struggle to get away, instead snarling up at him. "Even when you won, the first thing on your mind was Lexa. You've spent so long protecting her, but now you have us, too. You may not have wanted the pack, but we became yours when you won that conclave, and we both know you didn't need to win. You could have just as easily submitted it to me, but you didn't, so now you have a choice to make, because if... _when_ Lexa wakes, she's going to be one of us. Are you going to be her alpha or her pet? We all know you can't be both."

"Then take it."

"River-"

"I'm serious, Abraham. Take it."

"What?"

"You're right. I can't leave Lexa. I need to keep her safe and I'm not what's best for the pack. Our numbers are lower than ever and I'm doing nothing to help that. If what I need to do is submit to you, then I'll do it, but I can't get Lexa through this transition alone." The admission, to River, felt much more flooded with guilt than she had expected.

Abraham blinked away his confusion, shaking his head, only to further admit to more. "River, I don't understand..."

River, feeling free under the confession, couldn't help but smile a little and shrug. "Well, you're right. Lexa is my priority. She always has been and she always will be. You're the right man for the pack. You'll be fair leader and that's what they need. So, I'll do it. I'll submit."

There was a long pause between the two. River almost thought Abraham was going to laugh in her face and tell her it was much too late for that.

"Not to me." He then stated, at first shocking her, then running her blood cold.

"Then who?" River was quick to demand.

"Maiyana-"

"No." She answered easily. She would rather keep the pack than hand it over to that bitch and have her all over Abraham.

"River-"

"Maiyana? Really?"

"She cares about the pack." Abraham spoke, shrugging as if she was the obvious choice. "She understands the importance of the coalition. Plus, wherever this war takes us, I know my place and it's with you."

"A-alpha?" The voice of Kel, in that moment, was a cold slap, reminding River that they weren't alone.

"What, Kel!" She snapped, turning sharply to look at him.

He had the good sense to jump back a step, looking down to the floor. "Please don't surrender the pack-"

"Have you not just heard a damn word that's fallen out of my mouth?" She barked loudly, advancing on the step he had taken away from her. "Look, kid, I don't want this damn pack!" She roared, throwing her arms up. She could _feel_ Wulf scratching to get out. "I made a hasty decision to save a loved one and now I'm paying the price. It was stupid, it was reckless, and it had consequences. Maiyana cares about the pack-"

"Please!" Kel yelped, his eyes snapping up to meet River's. It wasn't a challenge, she could see. He looked... scared? "I don't trust her... She- I heard her trying to talk as many wolves into the conclave as she could. She talked my brother into it."

That part confused River. What kind of moron would talk wolves into the conclave?"What are you implying, Kel? Speak true."

Kel shuffled uncomfortably on his two feet, probably feeling bad for bringing this up, but River wanted the truth. "If our numbers fall too low, we'd retreat to the Wantri. That's what we've always done. She convinced over half the pack to enter, she just wasn't counting on _you_ winning. Anyone else would listen to her talking about keeping out bloodlines flowing, but you're the one wolf she can't control-"

"Unless I make her alpha." And so River understood. Had anyone else won, even Abraham, Maiyana could have wriggled into their heads and convinced them to take the pack safely home. "Thank you, Kel. Tell me, what would you do?"

"Uhh..."

Clearly Kel hadn't expected to be asked that.

"Come, Kel, speak. I'm interested what else you have to say."

"Well, Alpha, I don't think anyone else could have brought us back to Polis. Many of us were children when we were turned and had never see the city's true beauty, but you brought us here. You, fighting with Heda for all these years, have proven to us that we can work with humans; that we don't need to hide in the shadows. I wouldn't trust any other wolf to take us to war. I know that you have said that you do not _want_ this pack, but I think that you _need_ this pack. You are the only one who can lead us into this war."

"Kel-"

"You are selfish. You are sly. You are dishonest-"

Alright, was this kid just ripping into her now? "Kel." She warned with a stern tone.

"But you care. You care about us, if you didn't then this conversation wouldn't be happening. Forgive me, Alpha, for butting in, but the pack needs stability. You will lead us through this war, all of us. Probably Polis, too. We need you, every single one of us. Then, once everything is over, you will help us to rebuild. Only when the dust settles will you resign your title. I know this. I know this because, under everything, you are good."

River didn't want the pack dammit. Why had this lanky little thing just managed to guilt her into keeping it?

"Perhaps you think too much of me, Kel."

"Take no offence, Alpha, but trust me, I don't."

* * *

 **So, Lexa is alive for now, if you want to keep her that way then please tell me because I'm itching to start killing everyone off. So yeah, tell me your thoughts, please review and all that, it makes me happy, but most of all, have a great day!**


	21. Chapter 21

**I can't believe it's been an entire year since I updated! Honestly I went through a really tough time and I've only recent come out on the other side, so my only way of apology is this chapter. It's super small and not exactly packed, but it will open door for new chapters and hopefully many more of them! I've got my writing hat back on so, hang on in there, give this one last go, I'll see what I can do.**

 **Oh god, okay, a quick edit! I'm stupid and forgot that River's male counterpart is called Abraham (initially his name had been Thorne, but I changed all the documents before uploading) and so I apologise profusely to anyone who read this chapter wondering who the hell Thorne was. It's changed back now, but apologies anyway!**

* * *

Wulf crunched her jaw down hard on the soldier's shoulder, shaking her head wildly from side to side, letting his still struggling body quite literally smash against the trees with satisfying crunches until his movement ceased.

Just as predicted, Nia sent assassins first. Wulf lost two of her wolves before the first wave of night killers were fought off. They came in the night, making it as far as the Tower before Kel heard the struggle that ended up being guards drawing their final breaths. From then on, the wolves all came inside the Tower. Not all of them were privy to the conversations that had gone on, of course, but River told them at least of Lexa's condition. They would all protect her with their lives, this much River was sure of, because should they fail, she would personally see to their demise.

Days passed, four to be exact, before the next attack, which was where Wulf was just finishing shaking the Azgeda scum by his shoulder.

Lexa, for all intents and purposes, was doing well. Imagine River's shock when Clarke and Abigail stated that a simply bag of water could be administered to Lexa in what they called a "drip" to keep her hydrated. She had been astounded to learn that what had killed most of her fallen brothers and sisters during the Turn was simply that they were malnourished and dehydrated from days of not eating or drinking. Of course, it did make sense, but still, she has amazed at how simple these things seemed with Skaikru's help.

The residents of Polis knew that something was wrong. They had seemed unsure the very second that Indra had announced that Lexa was leaving the city to converse with their allies. So much uncertainty, in fact, that many of them left their homes later that evening to watch their Commander speed away on her horse. The paint, the clothes and the horse, however, was all it took to fool them. Beneath it all, River was the rider of Lexa's horse. Alas, days had passed since then and the city grew restless. Seeing Wulf walking the streets eased their mind, unaware that she had been snuck back in after washing away her disguise.

Naturally, River wanted to spend all of her time with Lexa, but she knew that things needed to have order.

Sighing, she released the body from her jaw and stepped back, looking it over. She could already smell the poison that she'd been quick enough to avoid. Of course, poison was Nia's way of fighting. She liked her enemy to be weakened before she attacked like the coward that she was. It made both the wolf and the woman in River furious.

With a grunt to Yanni, who stood but a few feet away, River turned and began to head back towards Polis. Yanni, following the command, quickly grabbed the body and began to pull it. Much to River's dismay, her wolves weren't ready. Not for war. Of course, the older ones were, but the pups? They would be dead before their paws met the soil. As if Lexa's turning wasn't enough.

There had, of course, been talks between her and Abraham as to what this new information meant for turning other wolves. While on the one hand, turning others had just become a whole lot easier, Lexa's turn was taking longer than anticipated, not to mention the fact that sending new wolves into a war would be suicide for many of them. Giving them all of that power but no way how to harness it was more danger than it was worth.

One thing that River had made abundantly clear was that Lexa was not to be left alone with humans. That was imperative. Of course, Clarke had asked why that was, but River simply stated firmly that wolves were dangerous and confused when they woke. She couldn't risk Lexa hurting or killing someone in that confusion.

"She'll be different, won't she?" Clarke asked later that very evening. She, River and Kel were the only ones awake, giving the others some much needed rest. "When she wakes."

From the small chair beside Lexa's bed, River looking up to where Clarke was lying beside Lexa. Lexa was still flat out, but Clarke lay a little further up the bed, propped up on an elbow in order to brush the sleeping Commander's hair and re-braid it. River nodded, remembering her own transition with a grimace. " _Sha_ , she will be different." River knew this to be true of all wolves, even the sweet ones like Kel. "Lexa will still be in there, but there will be... more."

"More? The wolf?"

Again, River nodded. "For a long time, I fought my wolf. I swore to her that we were not the same, that she was a parasite that lived within me. I tried desperately to remain two pieces. One, River. One, the wolf. Wulf." She looked into the blonde's eyes and found pain to mirror her own. "I will not let Lexa take this same path."

Clarke nodded, looking down at Lexa before looking back up to the older of the two sisters. "What will it do to her?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Of course." In a funny way, River had to respect the cold determination in Clarke's eyes.

Sighing, River sat a little straighter, thankful that Kel was pretending to be engrossed in a book that she knew he definitely couldn't read. It was in Lexa's shorthand, something that very few could understand. It was also upside down. "For a time, she will be a killer. Anything that moves will be prey. Anything that defies her will be an enemy. Humans will begin to smell like lunch. S-"

"She'll... eat people?" Clarke sounded rightfully horrified as River heard her heart skip a beat.

She shrugged. "She'll eat meat. The human in her won't want it to be people, but the beast won't care." River watched as Clarke's eyes strayed down to where the one they both loved slept. She almost couldn't take it. In fact, she couldn't. "I need to pee." She grumbled, standing and quickly navigating her way in the dark to Lexa's bathroom. She shut the door behind her and braced herself on the sink, breathing in a few ragged breaths. " _Pull yourself together._ " She snarled, at her own reflection in the mirror above the sink.

Quickly, she realised she did actually need to pee, so she set about doing her business. Of course, it didn't take long, but, away from prying eyes, she just wanted a second to be weak. These feelings were bubbling inside her and she wished so deeply that they could wake Lexa, alas, she knew that things took time.

River, despite all of her time among Skaikru, had never heard the phrase "be careful what you wish for", so, in her thoughts of a conscious Lexa, she almost missed how Clarke's heartbeat picked up after seemingly skipping a beat. _Almost_ but not quite.

That was odd.

Thoughts of Lexa paused as River quickly dried her hands and opened the door to come face to face with a scene that made her blood chill. "Clarke." She breathed out, feeling her eye widen as ice tainted her skin. The blonde, however, didn't so much as flinch. She was engrossed in Lexa. Lexa who was, as of now, gently reaching up for Clarke's face, eyes open, mouth agape with an oh-so-very soft snarl coming from it.

Kel, unlike Clarke, looked up, confused. Sadly, that was all it took.

That one movement caught in Lexa's eye and the scene changed. Before River could bolt across the room, Lexa's hands were grabbing at Clarke and she was rolling them quite litterally off the bed. Clarke, panicking, screamed. River could hardly blame her.

Kel was the first to reach Lexa, tearing the pair from the floor by the back of the commander's neck with such force that both their feel left the floor for a second. In that single moment that they were in the air, River saw that Lexa's lips were now drippign with blood. Kel's advance hadn't been enough to distract the new wolf from her easy prey.

"Lexa!" River boomed, throwing herself across the bed and wincing when her body crashed into Lexa's. For the first time, the younger sister held her ground, whipping her head up and baring viciously large fangs at her sister, releasing Clarke and throwing herself at the young alpha. The two sisters hit the floor in a struggle for dominance just as everyone else began to wake. Naturally, River landed on top, but not before Lexa's newly found teeth and claws had made ribbons of the skin on her arms.

Quickly and harshly, River brought her fist down on Lexa's face once, twice, three times before she heard her nose break. Lexa thrashed, finally getting a hand loose long enough to grab a nearby object and smash it against River's head, sending her flying into a wall with a cry of pain.

At last, it was Abraham who managed to stop things. Upon seeing River's head meeting a beautiful chair, he stepped in. With one swift phase and a stamp of his now mighty paw, Lexa was stopped.

The black wolf loomed over the once again unconscious commander, hearing her lover's cries as Clarke thrashed and wailed, trying desperately to free herself of Kel's iron grip.

Grunting, River freed herself from the wall, taking in the faces around her before turning to Clarke and storming over, grabbing the girl's face with no care for how rough she was being. The blonde cried. Good. "What the fuck did I say?" River growled, her claws piercing the skin on the girl's cheek.

"Stop!" Abigail cried, making to grab at River only to have Kel spin and trap her against one of the bed posts, leaving Clarke in River's grip.

"What _the fuck_ did I say?" River roared, shaking Clarke and revelling in the pained yelp. She got no answer, only tears. "I told you that if she so much as breathed out of pattern, you stepped away and told me. This is why, Clarke."

With a huff, River dropped the blonde with an angry snarl. Her blood, no longer icy, was boiling. Had she not been clear? Had she not given Clarke the most simple of instructions?

"Take Lexa to the cells." She barked at Abraham, watching as the black wolf cracked his joints, stepping off the unconscious, bloodied girl and stepping back once more into the feet of a man. He said nothing, simply picking Lexa up and leaving the room.

Clarke as exactly where River had dropped her a few seconds ago. As was Abigail, still pinned to the wall by a snarling Kel, his eyes black as night. _"Follow him."_ As soon as the order left River's lips, he too dropped her, turning and bolting as quickly as he could. River could hear as wolves in nearby rooms shuffled, some going as far as to gather around the doorway.

Abigail was quick to shuffle over to Clarke, grabbing her daughter. They sobbed at one another as Abigail began pressing cloths onto Clarke's wound, though River had a feeling that Clarke wasn't feeling anything but pain in her heart, her body be damned.

Trying desperately to calm down, River stalked over and crouched, grabbing Clarke's face and forcing her head to the side to get a good look at the wound. Shocking her, Abigail quickly shoved the wolf's firm body, but River didn't budge, nor did she retaliate. "She'll be fine. The bite wasn't enough."

"Wasn't enough? There is a chunk missing from my daughter's neck!"

"Would you have preferred us not intervene? By now, she would be but a corpse, meat stripped from her bones. You'd be dead, too. All of you."

"Lexa?" Clarke breathed, tears and blood staining her cheeks.

River watched the blonde for a moment before nodding slightly. "Lexa has woken. All there is for her to do now is let the wolf through. She-"

"It's over? She's going to be okay?"

"Well, we still have a war to fight, but yes. This war is won, if nothing else."

* * *

 **So there we have it... Lexa made it! I'm sure you can guess that hurting Clarke isn't going to be something that she'll take lightly, what do you think she'll do?**

 **Again, I'm sorry that it took me over a year to spit two and a half thousand words at you all, I don't even have many other fics to show for it, but I'm back now and would love love love to hear anyone's thoughts or opinions on the whole thing. Thank y'all for sticking with me! Everyone stay safe during these trying times, stay indoors, read some FanFiction, BE SAFE.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Yo, I figured if I can bust out a few super short chapters, that's more likely to keep my productivity up and prove that I'm serious about keeping this fic going, so I apologise for the length but I feel pretty good about finally getting things back up and rolling. Obviously last chapter was pretty short too, but I have every confidence that I'll start lengthening them again once I've gotten back into the swing of things, so hang on in there!**

* * *

War was coming. Scouts had reported movement from Azgeda territory, sending their fastest birds to Polis with messages, hoping desperately that their word reached Lexa. Alas, Lexa was, and would continue to be, locked away. Instead, River sat atop her sister's throne.

In books, River had often read about jealous siblings shoving one another from the spot light, stealing power, stabbing one another in the back. She wondered if, in fact, that was how this looked. Not that she cared. She hadn't wanted to lead a pack, let alone the whole city of Polis. So, in lieu of that fact, she held her advisers close. No one knew Polis like Indra, so she stayed by River's side. Abraham, despite River's stern words about needing someone to tend to the pack, spent his days in his wolf's skin, swearing that he would guard River day and night. Finally, Marcus Kane and Abigail Griffin were also by the wolf's side. They and their peoples' technology were an asset that River couldn't afford to ignore.

"Have long do we have to prepare?" Kane asked, looking at River through those so very tired eyes of his.

Thinking the route through, River shook her head. She wasn't sure in all honesty. "Nia has many troops. I say we shall expect her within a week, though her faster riders may come ahead as a first wave of attack. Five days? _Sha_ , five days." She didn't know at all if her math was right. All she knew was that it would take her two or three days to run there with all her might. Wait, or would it take four? She didn't know. She'd spent too many years curled up at Lexa's side, she knew this now.

It was a low whine from Abraham that distracted her, forcing her to turn with a raised brow. "More?" She asked, waiting and watching as he nodded. "Two weeks? Or simply more days?" In answer, the black wolf scratched his huge paw against the harsh floor nice times, then, after a moment, a tenth time. "Ten days until war." River sighed roughly. Polis may have been full of warriors, but it was also a city full of elderly and sick people, full of children an those who had never learned to fight.

It had only been a day and a half since Lexa had woken, but it had become apparent quickly that her condition was going to be a problem. But three hours in the cells and she had woken again, as had her lust for blood and flesh. Still, through it all, Clarke Griffin, not even twenty summers, sat in the cell next door and spoke calmly to the raging commander. At all times, Yanni lay at her feet, ready to strike should Lexa's wolf push through in an attempt to break the bars that kept her caged, Kel was standing just the other side of the room with a tranquilliser. It hadn't been too hard to piece together thanks to Raven Reyes and Monty Green both being on the other end of a radio, talking them through it, then it was up to Nyko to mix herbs potent enough to put a raging beast to sleep. River hoped it didn't come to that.

Some time later, when River sat with the others for some food, Indra shuffled a little closer and leaned in, clearly with something to say. "The people will not hear Heda's words from your mouth. What are we to say of her?" And wasn't that the question. River wished she knew.

Alas, the young alpha swallowed a particularly tough piece of deer, breathing calmly for a moment before answering. "We tell them the truth, no? We tell them that we had a traitor in our midst who harmed our commander. Titus will die a death of a thousand cuts, the people will hear when Lexa is recovered-"

"They will not follow a wolf." Anya reasoned. There was no malice to her words, simply facts.

Was this true? Surely not. For all the years, had they not followed her? "They will follow Lexa." She stated surely, taking a drink.

"People will be scared. They will hear nothing more than their commander is changed. Change will not benefit this war."

"They will follow Lexa or they will die. The people of Polis have never feared wolves."

"They have never feared _Wulf._ The white wolf. They will fear what they do not know."

"They know Lexa though, don't they?" Marcus reasoned, meeting River's gaze when it turned to him. She was thankful for his support. "Surely your people will be comforted by the news that she's on the mend?"

To their shocks, it was Abigail who choked out a laugh. "You think that they'll follow her? You think that they'll love her when they see what she's done to Clarke?" Ah yes, as if River could have forgotten for even a second. It was strange though, Abigail seemed more concerned about Clarke's injured neck than she did. In fact, Clarke was, at that very moment, sitting but three meters from Lexa with no thought of her pain. "They won't care that she's healing. They'll care that their leader almost died and nobody told them."

Snarling, River shifted her eyes and set a glare upon the woman from the sky. "Learn your place." She bit out, hearing Abraham snap his teeth together in warning.

"Or I'll end up like Clarke?" Abigail laughed, crossing her arms in disbelief.

River looked at the faces around her. They were all so uncertain. Could she blame this scared mother? No, but she also couldn't keep a hysterical woman around as an adviser. "Anya, please escort Abigail to her room. See to it that she doesn't get into any trouble." And as the words left her mouth, Anya stood, but Abigail put up a fight. Well, she flailed and yelped, but Anya stood her up. Kane made to protest, but River waved him off. "You will both ride for Arkadia tonight. Anya and Ryder will ensure your safety. I have troops to ready for war, Marcus Kane, and so do you."

Why couldn't anything be easy? Couldn't things fall into place just this once? River presumed not.

.

.

.

.

.

Pacing. She wasn't sure why she was pacing, but each time she tried to sit, she couldn't help but shoot right back up again and get right back to pacing. She felt hot and cold all at once. Too big for her skin. Yet... too small? It made no damn sense. Why did nothing make any sense? She wondered why everything was so damn bright and why people were so damn loud.

Her eyes shot in every direction, never settling on any one thing for too long. She couldn't focus for too long, she had to keep moving, keep pacing, keep looking. Why, she didn't know.

A sound slipped from her sore throat and she could feel the heat in the air as it left her lips. She hadn't ever felt the heat of her own words before, so why now? Why did her throat feel as if someone had forced a hot poker down it? Gods, she was desperate for a drink.

 _Yes. Water._ There was something else, something _more_. Something inside her knew that behind her, there lay a bucket of water. She spun, stopping her pacing for long enough to launch herself to the corner of the cell she was in, not caring for the yelp on the other side of the bars. She didn't know or care who or what made the noise, instead she grabbed the bucket and submerged her head, gulping greedily only to rip herself away an cough violently. Ah yes, breathing between gulps. Upon releasing the bucket however, she noticed the dents. Dents where her hands had been. Had she done that?

Of course, she already knew she had. That thing inside her knew, so she knew. She would have questioned what it was, but she didn't care, she just needed to move. She needed to move, to pace, to drink, to scream, to run, but there was only so much that she could do.

Like a panicked animal, she threw herself into the bars of her cell, releasing a deep, guttural cry upon the impact. It didn't hurt, but it also didn't free her. She was infuriated. That new voice inside her told her that she was strong enough to get out, but how? How could she get out? She needed to run, dammit.

"How is she?" She spun at a voice, but she'd heard the new individual enter the room. She'd simply chosen to ignore their presence until now. Changing her course, she threw herself toward the new voice, desperately trying to reach out and grab whatever was the other side of the bars. "That well, huh?" Came a dry chuckle from the same voice.

She finally allowed her eyes to begin to focus, but it was hard. It was almost as if she could see too much, she had to actively decide to look at one minute detail and allow her vision to fill in the rest. Equally, she felt like she could see for miles. What in hell was going on? The other side of the bars, she saw green eyes. They sat behind tanned and scarred skin, beneath a dark head of hair. Who was this familiar stranger? She knew those eyes, she and the new thing inside her were sure of it.

The individual one cell over spoke, but she ignored it. Whoever it was had been speaking for hours, never shutting up, but she didn't care. She was hungry. She needed to run. When was she going to get to run? "Lexa?" She new voice cut through to her, focusing her eyes once more on the familiar stranger. "You know who I am? You recognise me?"

"She hasn't spoken yet." Someone else piped up, making her step back and open her mouth, snarling.

The stranger smiled darkly. It wasn't a smile of joy, but instead a smile of rue. "Clarke, come and rest." Again, the annoyance in the cell next door said something, but the girl didn't care, neither did the stranger by the sound of things. "You need to eat and rest. She's not going anywhere. My wolves can't be down her all the time to babysit you. Upstairs, now. Eat. Bathe. Sleep." She was aware of some movement, but she couldn't look away from those green eyes.

Who was this stranger?

Who was anyone in the room?

Hell, who was she?

* * *

 **Okay, so I hope that was okay! Again, I know it was short, but I'm feeling good about the pace of things. Obviously if you have any thoughts or questions or requests etc then just leave me a review or drop me a message, I absolutely love hearing what people think of my work because it's something that I'm so fond of and passionate about, so I really would love to hear anything back about it all. Again guys, stay safe, stay indoors!**


	23. Chapter 23

**I hope everyone is staying safe and happy (as can be) through this whole virus thing. I know it sucks, but everyone please look after yourselves!**

 **I got a lovely review on the last chapter that really truly made me grin, so thank you so much! One question was asked though, as I expected/hoped it would be: why is Lexa turning and Clarke isn't? Well, this chapter may be short, but I hope it answers that if nothing else! Admittedly, I'm struggling writing at the moment, but I'm definitely getting back into it, it's just taking me a little while, so I really do appreciate the patience.**

* * *

Sighing, Abraham turned his head slightly, eyes open. The sun wasn't yet up, but he knew that even the sun waiting to rise wouldn't grant him any more time with River. No, she had a mission, they all did. He understood that, but still, these moments were his most prized of the day. He knew he wouldn't get so much as a second alone with her for the rest of the day, so he did what any many in love would. He watched.

For the next twenty minutes before River woke, Abraham simply lay there. He curled his body around hers, hoping that perhaps his body heat would keep her from waking from her slumber. He even let his arm fall asleep beneath her head. Anything to prolong their moments together.

Alas, before the sun had even dared to show its face, his fierce mate was awake. She used to wake in his arms with a comfortable grin, but not anymore. Now, she woke, rolled towards him, pecked his chin, then rolled away once more to begin the day. He was starting to grow used to it, but that didn't soften the sting of having to release her from their little bubble.

"Where do you need me today?" He asked her, watching as she pulled a snug pair of pants up her legs. He could have easily watched those legs all day long if not for the ever present thoughts of their impending war.

River simply sighed and turned, her top half was still bare, save for the blade that was already strapped to his side, waiting to be concealed beneath her shirt. Instead of answering right away, she walked over to the bed and clambered back onto it, pushing him flat down by his chest and straddling his hips, leaving nothing between them but the material of her pants. Material that Abraham knew he could tear through. Gods, he could forget all about not getting enough attention while she was resting on him like that, smirking down with a glint in her eyes. "Where do I want you?" She repeated back to him, raising a brow. "If what I wanted came into the equation, neither of us would be leaving this bed, much less the Tower."

 _Fuck_. He could already feel the familiar heat travelling to his groin and she hadn't so much as kissed him yet. "Well, you are the alpha, you know. You get to make the decisions." Of course he knew that wasn't entirely true, nor was it fair, but through all of this hardship, he missed them just being themselves.

Chuckling, River shook her head gently above him. "I'm not only making the decisions for the two of us though, am I? Everything I decide, everything I do, everything I say, it all has to be for the pack now." She looked sadly into his eyes, leaning forwards to frame his face with her forearms, running her fingers through his hair and encircling his head in her arms before so very gently pressing their lips together.

Immediately and without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her back and pulled their bodies as close as either of them could bear, letting the skin of their stomachs and chests rub perfectly. The steel of her blade pinched and nicked the skin above one of his ribs, but he was too engrossed in River to care. Eventually, she pulled back, keeping but one inch from kissing him again. She chuckled softly as she made to move only to remain in his iron grasp. "Just one minute more." He begged selfishly, the rest of the world be damned.

Luckily, she agreed, closing her eyes and resting her head on his chest, listening to his beating heart as it yearned for her.

Alas, the time came all too quickly for them both to get up and leave their room. River tasked Abraham with watching over Clarke, telling him to do whatever she asked, within reason.

Abraham, naturally, found himself standing in the cells beside Clarke for the next few hours as she spoke to a rabid Lexa through the bars. Despite the fact that Lexa never once stopped sniffing around like a wild dog and attacking the bars at every move, Clarke never once faltered. Instead, she told her lover secrets from the Ark, speaking to her as if they'd grown up together, never once so much as noticing anyone else in the room.

For a little while, Abraham found himself fascinated by Clarke's tales. Having grown up in the mountain, he remembered a time when he had been telling River about computers, elevators and doors that used swipe cards instead of keys. Just the same, he saw Clarke slowly hardening to this world, just as he had done. Perhaps that was the cost of loving powerful women; it probably didn't help Clarke's case that she too was a powerful woman herself.

.

.

.

.

.

It had taken a lot for Abraham to drag Clarke away from Lexa, but he seemed to know just how to talk to her. She wanted to learn about the wolves, so he offered stories over lunch, pleased when she relentlessly accepted, telling an uncaring Lexa that they would be back soon.

The two of them, innocents drenched in death, made their way through the markets of Polis, picking up meat skewers, stew and bread from different vendors before Abraham lead Clarke to a somewhat quiet area where they could sit, talk and eat in peace. Of course, most people recognised the pair, but none bothered them. Clarke had noticed that an air of respect was growing thicker between the people of Polis and the people from the Ark. Of course, it helped for her to be with Abraham, but even without the wolves, everyone was so focused on war with Azgeda that most of them seemed to be somewhat accommodating of her people now.

Together, they sat at the base of a crumbling set of enormous stone steps. River had told Abraham once that the steps used to lead to where Becca Pramheda herself had fallen to save their earth. He wasn't sure if he believed it since she had always been so interested in any information of science that he could give her, but he had loved her stories all the same. "When River first turned, she was the calmest wolf I'd ever seen." Abraham started, stuffing a piece of skewered meat into his mouth, feeling a heat in his chest that he had been feeling more and more at the mere thought of her lately.

Curiously, Clarke turned to face him a little more, not caring for the dust that was surely collecting beneath her on her clothes. She was pleased when Abraham swallowed and continued. "I remember her ears flat against the back of her head, eyes wide as dinner plates, breathing so hard she almost passed out."

"She was scared?" Clarke asked, sipping at her stew.

Chuckling, Abraham nodded. "You clearly know more about wolves than I did back then." The smile on his face, though genuine, was pained. "Kair, our last alpha, went to approach her. He wanted to let her know that she was safe. River being River though, well, she damn near killed him. Couldn't so much as stand up right, but she figured out how to close that jaw on someone _real fast_." Was that warm feeling love? Was he really feeling such a beautifully complicated emotion at the memory of River almost killing Kair? Well, to put it simply, yes. "He never once gave up on her. That's what it takes with new wolves-"

"I won't give up on Lexa. I won't ever give up on her."

Abraham smiled sadly. "She needs a pack, Clarke. Right now, she doesn't even know who you are. You smell like a meal and all you do is make noise. You're this perfectly innocent rabbit, taunting a rabid dog through its cage."

"Don't call her that." Clarke didn't snap, but it was clear to Abraham that she meant it.

He wondered briefly what exactly she thought she could do, but instead reached out and placed a large gentle hand on her shoulder. "Don't take my words the wrong way, Clarke. I know that you Lexa and she surely loves you, but you need to understand that the best thing that you can do for her right now is to stay away. It's going to kill her when she remembers what she did to you. Between you and me, River is going to have to force Lexa's wolf out if she doesn't turn in the next few hours. You don't want to be around to watch that."

To force her wolf out? Clarke wasn't entirely sure that she wanted to know what that meant, but she had suddenly lost her appetite. "They're going to fight?" She asked fearfully. Sadly, Abraham nodded. "To... the death?" At that, he choked on a piece of meat and shook his head.

"No! Gods, no. The wolf in Lexa will be wild. She'll want to roam and to kill, but every new wolf needs a pack. An alpha. River will simply prove her dominance, but Lexa will still need to learn about her strength. For a time, she won't be able to control when she changes, her wolf will seek to rule her. They must find harmony before she can be around humans."

Clarke nodded, pondering. Then, the one question that she had been dreading asking. "And what about my bite? It been days now... does this mean that I'm immune?"

Confused, Abraham cocked his head, never stopping eating. "Immune?" He asked around a mouthful. At that, Clarke's eyes widened in question, then she gestured to her neck. "Oh! Of course. Popular literature dictates that lycanthropes are the result of a bite. No. There's more to it than that, there has to be an exchange of blood. Not to mention that the bite has to be more, uh, stationary? Lexa made to ripe a piece of you away, but to turn you she would have had to leave a considerable amount of saliva in the wound. Not to mention that she won't be able to change anyone until she accepts her wolf."

"Oh." Yes, oh. "So, I'm still me? I'm just Clarke?"

"Absolutely. Just Clarke."

Oh.

Why didn't that fill her with joy?

.

.

.

.

.

The cells stank of sweat. Of course there were also the overpowering scents of shit and urine everywhere, but when River entered, she first smelled the sweat that seemed to be falling from Lexa in buckets.

River knew from experience that holding the wolf in took a lot of effort. It was no wonder Lexa was sweating like an overworked mare. Alas, the sun was setting and they didn't have more time to waste. Abraham and Clarke had long since returned from their lunch and River was pleased to find them sitting quietly. She didn't let herself so much as smile at Clarke though, instead walking straight over and placing a firm hand on Abraham's chest. "Take Clarke out of here." She told him, most definitely as an alpha and not a lover. Immediately, he followed her command.

It came to him literally picking her up and leaving with her when she protested.

"Kel, Yanni, leave. Bolt the door. It doesn't open until morning."

Without so much as a nod, the two young wolves were gone, the heavy clanking of metal confirming that the cells were bolted shut, leaving only River, Lexa and a handful of prisoners.

Glancing over at Roan, River smirked before stepping forward and knocking the latch on Lexa's cell just enough that the door whined, opening. "Let's see how much your mother wants each piece of you back, shall we?"

* * *

 **So, thoughts? Questions? Anything at all? Reviewing and PMing is the only way to let me know what you think of this whole thing, so please please please tell me anything and everything that's on your mind about Lexa, Clarke, Wulf, anyone at all!  
**  
 **As always, everyone please stay safe in these trying times. Stay inside, wash your hands, read some fan fiction!**


End file.
